Paradip, Nov. 19: The arrest of Congress leader Arindam alias Bapi Sarkhel for the murder of Mahendra Swain, general manager of Seaways Shipping and Logistics limited (SSLI), triggered protests with his supporters staging road blockades and paralysing traffic in and around Paradip port township today.

Followers of Sarkhel, who unsuccessfully contested Assembly polls for the Paradip seat in 2014, described the police action as politically motivated. But senior police officials reiterated the Congress leader's complicity in the high-profile murder case.

Life was also thrown out of gear here following protests as shopkeepers downed their shutters fearing trouble. Supporters of Sarkhel, who head at least three trade unions in Paradip, staged rallies, squatted on the road and burnt tyres to disrupt traffic.

Tension mounted following protests at several places in Paradip town and adjoining Kujang. Traffic was affected because of a road blockade by Sarkhel supporters on the Cuttack-Paradip state highway and Paradip-Daitary expressway. However, no untoward incident occurred as police promptly intervened to disperse the protesters, said Paradip additional superintendent of police Gadadhar Pradhani.

A lookout notice was issued against Sarkhel. After investigation, the police found his complicity in the murder of Swain. Later, he was arrested. "The allegation by a section of people that he was falsely implicated in the case is baseless," said inspector general of police (central range) Soumendra Priyadrashi.

Sarkhel has been sent to jail under sections 302 (murder) and 120 (b) (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.

Jharkhand-based criminal Rakesh Choubey, one of the masterminds of the murder, was today brought here on three-day police remand.

"We are hopeful of making further arrests in the case based on confessions from Choubey. Special squads have been constituted to nab industrialist Mahimananda Mishra and three of his colleagues, who have been on the run since the day of the murder. Lookout circulars issued against them will thwart any move made by them to flee the country," said Priyadarshi.

The cops are keeping a close watch on the situation. Eight platoons of armed police have been deployed at strategic locations to thwart untoward incidents, Priyadarshi added.

On Thursday, the police had taken into custody six sharpshooters, including three from Jharkhand, for gunning down Seaways shipping company Swain in Paradip on October 26.

The cops had earlier claimed that Mishra, who monopolised cargo handling and stevedoring work at the Paradip port, had hatched the plot to kill Swain as Seaways was eating into his business.