Sambalpur: Union minister Dharamendra Pradhan on Saturday targeted chief minister Naveen patnaik for the death and said the police had become a political tool.

"First Kunduli and now Ainthapali - the chief minister, who is also the home minister, is not able to control them," he said.

BJD spokesperson Pratap Deb, responding to Pradhan's statement, said: "If the chief minister is responsible in this case, then the Prime Minister is responsible for every violence in the country."

The Sambalpur District Congress Committee and BJP leader Suresh Pujari, in separate briefings to newspersons, demanded a judicial probe by a sitting judge of Orissa High Court or a CBI probe into the alleged custodial death.

Pujari said: "CCTV footage would speak the truth. The HRPC investigation is just an eye wash to ease the tension."

District Congress president Sureswar Mishra described the death as "painful and a black day for Sambalpur".

"This incident is sufficient indication that people have lost confidence in the police administration and the superintendent of police should be removed from the district immediately," Mishra said.

"Had the police acted properly, the ransacking of the police station could have been avoided."