Angul, June 10: Irate workers at a construction site of Jindal Steel and Power Limited at Nisha burnt down a police vehicle and stopped work following the death of a fellow worker in an accident this morning.

Jagan Naik (21), who was engaged as a technician, was crushed to death by a speeding vehicle while he was going to the construction site on his cycle.

As the news of the death spread, hundreds of enraged workers gathered on the spot and demanded Rs 50 lakh compensation and two jobs for his family members.

“There is no safety in the plant areas where accidents frequently take place. The worker was on his side when the vehicle hit him to death. The plant authorities must take steps for safety and security in the plant area to avoid such mishaps in future,” said an aggrieved worker, Susil Behera. “Unless two jobs and Rs 50 lakh are not given to the family members, we will not allow the body to be shifted from the spot,” said brother-in law of the deceased Naresh Naik.

When the local police reached the spot and tried to shift the body, workers protested. The workers pelted stones at the policemen and set the vehicle on fire. The police, which was outnumbered by the workers, had to retreat from the stop. Angry workers continued the blockade keeping the body on the main road inside the plant.

After several hours of negotiations, the workers called off their stir after another agency, engaged by the JSPL, had agreed to pay Rs 5.5 lakh to the family members and assured two jobs for the family of the deceased.

“We have arrested the driver of the vehicle and the vehicle also has been seized,” said the sub-divisional police officer R.K. Singh. He said two cases had been registered. Police had exercised utmost restraint in handling the situation, he said. One case will be registered for causing death to the worker and the other against the workers who had burnt down the vehicle.