Chhendipada: A youth was beaten up and later detained in a closed room over suspicion of child theft at Machakuta village under Chhendipada police limits in Angul district Wednesday.
The youth was from Dasagharia village under Reamal block, sources said.
According to villagers, the youth along with four other unidentified men arrived at the village on a vehicle. When they were wandering suspiciously in the village, the locals chased them with lathis and sharp-edged weapons.
While four of them managed to escape from the villagers, one person was left behind. The locals thrashed him and questioned about his whereabouts.
When they failed to get a satisfactory answer from the man, the villagers informed the police before detaining him in a room at the village.
However, the police are yet to arrive the spot while filing this report.
PNN