Berhampur, July 16: Tension prevailed in Kodala area of Ganjam district following yesterday’s police firing, in which two persons were killed.

The area has been witnessing a volatile situation since Wednesday, when two persons belonging to a particular community were hacked to death by members of another community of a neighbouring village.

Kodala has been cut off from the rest of the district as irate villagers staged road blockades at about 70 different places. Demonstrators felled large number trees on the road and at some places dug the road up to 4 to 5 feet.

Bodies of the firing victims were yet to be handed over to their relatives. The bodies are lying at Kavisurya Nagar police station. “We have asked family members and relatives of the deceased persons to come to the police station and receive the bodies. But they insisting that we go to their village and hand over the bodies there. We are awaiting orders from our superiors,” said a police officer.

Twenty-nine platoons of police force had been deployed at Kodala and more reinforcement was expected.

“The situation is under control. Director general of police M.M. Praharaj is camping there,” chief secretary Bijay Patnaik told reporters here today, adding that the peace-making process had already started.

Necessary action would be taken against the guilty after completion of the administrative inquiry into Wednesday clash, said Patnaik. However, no decision had yet been taken on the inquiry into yesterday’s police firing, he said.

As tension prevailed following the police firing, and earlier, the group clash, the residents of Kodala town and neighbouring villages are in a state of panic.

“We are living in a constant state of panic fearing more police action. Policemen entered our house after breaking it open. They beat us and took away five motorcycles and mobile phones,” said Bangali Jena and Gandhi Parida of Chachina village.

Bulu Pradhan, who had been admitted to M.K.C.G. Medical College and Hospital here with a broken shoulder, said: “I was beaten up by the police with lathis before yesterday’s firing. The police have brought me here. None of my family members has come. I had to mortgage my gold ring and arrange money for the medicine.”

Many colleges and schools at Kodala have been closed since July 14.

In another development, several political parties, including the Congress, BJP and CPI, have demanded a judicial inquiry into the Kodala police firing and ex-gratia payment of Rs 10 lakh to the family members of the firing victims.

A four-member team of Pradesh Congress Committee visited Chachina and other villages and spoke to the people about their grievances. The BJP and CPI teams also visited the area.