Gondia, Jun 17 (PTI) Police had to resort to cane charge after a mob protesting against two deaths caused by a rashly-driven sand-laden tipper truck turned violent on Friday in Tirora area of Maharashtra's Gondia district, and pelted stones and tried to set ablaze a police vehicle, an official said.

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A speeding sand-laden tipper truck had hit a tractor from behind on Wednesday on the Mahalgaon-Murdada road under Damnivada police station limits, leaving the tractor driver dead on the spot, while one more person succumbed to injuries on Thursday.

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"People from Mahalgaon and Murdada assembled during the day demanding strict action against illegal sand smuggling, as well as compensation for the deceased. The mob soon turned violent, pelted stones, leaving an inspector and assistant inspector injured. They also tried to set ablaze a police vehicle," he said.

The mob was pacified after the intervention of Superintendent of Police Vishwa Pansare, who assured action against those involved in illegal sand extraction, including impounding vehicles used for sand smuggling, most of which are driven rashly, the official informed.

Villagers said they protested as the kin of the deceased, identified as tractor driver Prashant Agashe and another person Govind Agashe, had not received any kind of compensation till late Thursday evening.

"Some people pelted stones and tried to set on fire a police vehicle, after which we had to resort to mild cane charge. The situation is now under control," SP Pansare said.

Sarpanch Kamlesh Damahe said the owner of the tipper truck has given Rs 1.5 lakh each to the kin of the deceased as compensation.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)