Bhubaneswar: A youth has been hospitalised in a critical condition after he was allegedly subjected to third-degree torture by the cops in Odisha’s Cuttack city.

The villagers of Chandiprasad staged a road blockade at Barang on the outskirts of the capital city today to protest the incident. Vehicular traffic on Cuttack-Bhubaneswar road was disrupted due to the agitation.

As per reports, the wife of one Rakesh Behera of Chandiprasad went missing from their home on May 16. Rakesh had lodged a complaint in this regard with Barang police.

The police reportedly detained Rakesh for questioning yesterday after the body of an unidentified woman found on Mahanadi riverbank on May 22.

According to the villagers, the cops allegedly meted out third-degree torture to Rakesh after he informed them that the deceased woman was not his wife.

“A team of around six police personnel took Rakesh to a nearby forest last night and assaulted him mercilessly. My son has been critically injured in the incident and he is now battling for life. The police officials are not giving us any updates on his heath,” alleged Rakesh’s father.

The villagers. Meanwhile, urged the state government to launch a probe into the incident and initiate stern action against the accused police personnel.

However, the police refuted the allegations of third-degree torture. According to them, the youth sustained grievous injuries after he met with a mishap last night.