Sonada, June 23: Angry residents today blocked traffic on National Highway 55 to protest against the death of a 55-year-old man, allegedly in the custody of the forest department.

Buddhiman Tamang was picked up by the forest officials on Saturday morning, according to his wife Sushila, and then allegedly tortured by the forest officials.

Divisional forest officer (Wildlife 1) Raju Das denied the charge. “A departmental inquiry has been ordered to verify the truth. The allegations that the officials were drunk and had tortured the man have to be verified.”

Tamang’s wife said her husband had entered the forest to collect firewood and sell it in the market. “I rushed to the forest ranger’s office around 9 am on Saturday after getting to know that my husband was picked up. When I enquired about him the forest personnel told me that he was sent to plant saplings a few km away as a punishment. I went to the spot but he was not there. When I approached the officers once again, the asked me to get Rs 1,150. Where would I get so much of money? In the evening, I found his body dumped outside the compound,” said Sushila.

Tamang was taken to the sadar hospital, where he died last night. As news of his death reached Sonada, angry residence put up a road blockade on the national highway.

The family has lodged an FIR against the forest officials.

Tshering Doma, a gram-panchayat member of Sonada, said: “This was the third time that Buddhiram was tortured by the forest officials. We never thought the matter would be so serious.”

Last evening, the villagers ransacked the forest ranger’s office after news trickled in that Buddhiram’s condition was serious.

DFO Das said the department too had lodged an FIR against the villagers for ransacking the forest ranger’s office.

The highway blockade was lifted after senior DGHC councillor, N.B. Khawash, intervened and assured the crowd that the forest department had “verbally” agreed to pay compensation to the family of the victim and offer a temporary job to one of his sons. “We will wait for five days for the forest department to adequately compensate the family, failing which we will start a mass agitation in town,” said Khawash said.

The forest department, however, denied the councillor’s claim.