Bhubaneswar, Sept. 4: The death of a 38-year-old man today, allegedly after consuming spurious liquor, sparked protests at Patia here with local residents staging a roadblock.

Hundreds of Patia residents blocked the road connecting Jayadev Vihar and Nandankanan for around an hour to demand stern action against illegal liquor sellers at a slum near Sikharchandi.

The roadblock paralysed vehicular movement in the area. Several tourist buses to Nandankanan were also stranded. "We were supposed to visit Nandankanan and Khandagiri and other tourist destinations. The roadblock ruined our day. We will not be able to visit Khandagiri," said Saroj Mishra, a tourist from Keonjhar. The agitation ended after intervention from senior police officials.

According to sources, the deceased, identified as L. Simadri, died after he allegedly consumed the liquor. "He started vomiting last night and lost consciousness. We took him to the hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival. We suspect that he consumed spurious liquor, which led to his death," said a resident of the slum. They also demanded adequate compensation for the deceased's family.

The police said the exact cause of Simadri's death could only be ascertained after a post-mortem of the body was conducted. "His family members told us that Simadri had been suffering from jaundice and was under treatment for the past few months. We have also seized documents relating to his treatment. We are continuing further investigation into the incident," said inspector in charge of Infocity police station Manoj Kumar Samant.

Local residents alleged that the sale of illegal liquor had become rampant in the area. "Several criminal elements in the slum have been selling country-made liquor illegally. A number of youths create a nuisance in the area after consuming liquor. Though we have repeatedly lodged complaints with the police, they have done nothing," alleged local resident Prem Chandra Jena.

In May 2014, the residents had urged the police to prevent the illegal sale of country-made liquor near Sikharchandi, a tourist spot. "No one can ascertain the quality of liquor being sold here. As a result, there are always chances of an unsavoury incident taking place in the area. The cops should immediately arrest the traders," said another local resident Antaryami Sahu.