Sambalpur: Police used lathi to disperse the agitating ambulance drivers in front of the office of revenue divisional commissioner (northern division) on Monday.

The police said that when the striking ambulance drivers wanted to hand over memorandum to the revenue divisional commissioner, they were told to select their five members representatives to meet the officer. But as they forced their entry to the office, the police had to prevent them. Some of the agitators pelted the cops with stones. Two policemen were injured in the stone-pelting, said the additional superintendent of police Amarendra Rana. The police held 10 ambulance drivers in connection with the incident.

The Odisha Ambulance Drivers' Union has been agitating for the past 18 days in Sambalpur, demanding permanent job, payment of overtime and food allowance. They are also demanding unconditional release of 357 ambulance drivers arrested on the night of January 6. As the drivers refused to go on PR bond and did not move bail petition, they were remanded to jail custody on Sunday night.

Shot dead

A paddy trader identified as Sarat Bhera, 70, was shot dead at point blank range in Dasamanapatna village in Dhenkanal district.