According to PTI, police have confirmed the involvement of Dara Singh in the incident. Eye-witnesses reportedly told them that the group was led by Dara, who attacked the youth with an axe. A grama-rakhi too reportedly saw Dara leading the miscreants.

According to sources, tribals armed with axes, bows and arrows came to Sheikh Rehman's shop at 4.30 pm and ransacked it. Dara attacked the youth with an axe, chopping off his hands. Minutes later,the miscreants set ablaze the shop and pushed Rehman inside, sources said.

With serious burns, Rehman was rushed to the Karanjia Sub-Divisional Hospital. Hours later, he died.

Mayurbhanj District Collector S Balakrishna and Superintendent of Police (SP) Pradip Kapur rushed to the spot. Director-General of Police (DGP) Dilip Kumar Dara Mohapatra cut short his tour of Balasore and Bhadrak to visit the site. Armed police have been deployed in the areas bordering Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj to avert any further untoward incident.

Meanwhile, areas along the border of Mayurbhanj have been sealed to prevent criminals from entering the district. Police patrolling has been beefed up at all religious places in the district and in villages inhabited by minority communities.

Keonjhar Collector Sourav Garg and SP Arun Kumar Ray told The Indian Express that the administration is on alert and is maintaining strict vigil in sensitive pockets to gather information regarding possibilities of any communal tension. DIG,Western Range, Binay Behera is camping at the village. The State Government today announced an ex-gratia of Rs 1 lakh to the family of the deceased. No one has been arrested in this connection so far.