Berhampur, April 29: A mob today injured eight police personnel, who had gone to Uldan village, 105km from here, to arrest two persons wanted in a case.

Besides, one Lakshmi Nayak of Harijan Sahi at Uldan suffered a bullet injury on her stomach and was admitted to MKCG hospital.

Besiddes, officer in charge of Tarsing police station Pramod Lenka, three assistant sub-inspectors, one constable and three home guards, including a lady, were injured in the incident and hospitalised.

The villagers damaged the police vehicle and snatched away the inspector’s service revolver.

Assistant sub-inspector Kali Charan Praharaj and lady home guard Kishori Sethi were shifted to MKCG hospital from Bhanjanagar, while the other five were being treated at Bhanjanagar hospital.

“The two accused, whom we were to arrest, were involved in a clash between two groups at Uldan. We reached there at 6am and Lenka approached a youth to inquire about the accused. Suddenly, more than 30 lathi and axe-wielding villagers rushed towards us. Somebody snatched Lenka’s service revolver, the only firearm to protect us,” said assistant sub-inspector Ramesh Chandra Mahakud.

“The mob broke the glass pane of the Bolero and tried to set it on fire when we informed Tarsing police station. Later, additional armed force rescued us,” said Mahakud.

Bhanjanagar sub-divisional police officer Ramesh Chandra Sethi said: “We have deployed one platoon of police at the village. The situation is under control. We have registered a case in Tarsing police station and detained 15 villagers, including seven women.”

“We don’t know how Lakshmi was shot at. The trigger might have been pulled when she was trying to snatch it from Lenka,” Sethi said.

Deputy inspector general (southern range) Amitav Thakur said the villagers had attacked the cops when they had gone there for warrant execution. “We will take action in accordance with law,” he said.