Jajpur, June 2: Tension prevailed in Singhpur Market in the district over the killing of a local businessman who had valiantly fought with an antisocial.

The businessman, who was attacked and sustained serious injuries yesterday, died today at a hospital.

Expressing anger over the brutal killing of their fellow trader, all the merchants of the market observed a strike today. The traders also held a meeting at the market to mark their protest against the killing.

Police have been deployed at the market to maintain law and order.

The deceased, identified as Ranjan Kumar Thatoi (33) of local Pentha village, has a bookshop in Singhpur Market. Some days ago, his mobile phone was stolen by one Sanjit Das alias Bhagua of Singhpur village. The bookshop owner had filed an FIR with Binjharpur police naming the person involved in the theft.

Later, the FIR was withdrawn following a compromise between the two parties. However, the accused, in a fit of rage to take revenge on the complainant, attacked the latter with an axe while he was returning home from the market on his motorcycle, along with the son of a local gram rakkhi.

The attack took place in front of the Singhpur College last afternoon when the area was almost deserted. Bhagua was assisted by seven of his aides to commit the crime.

“While Ranjan was traveling home on his motorcycle, he was intercepted by Bhagua, accompanied by seven of his aides. The accused attacked Ranjan with an axe. They fled away from the scene soon after the incident. The son of our gram rakkhi, who was traveling with the deceased as pillion rider, had witnessed the incident,” said Dipti Ranjan Ray, sub-divisional police officer (SDPO), Jajpur.

He was immediately taken to the district headquarters hospital at Jajpur town, from where he was later shifted to S.C.B. Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack as his condition deteriorated.

He succumbed to his injuries today. When his news of his death spread this morning, it sparked off protest from traders who resorted to a market bandh and vented ire on police for failing to bring to book criminals despite complaint.

“We have detained one person in this connection and begun a thorough interrogation,” the SDPO said.

“The main accused is still at large and the weapon used in the crime has also not been seized.We are conducting massive raids, and all the accused persons involved in this case would be rounded up soon,” he said.