At least nine people were injured, two of them critically, following clashes between a mob and villagers in Orissa's riot-hit Kandhamal district today, police said.


According to Kandhamal District Collector Krishan Kumar, armed miscreants entered Rudangia village, which is under G Udaygiri police station and attacked the villagers.


The villagers retaliated resulting in the clash, Kumar said.


The situation was brought under control after a police team reached the spot, he said, adding that Superintendent of Police Praveen Kumar had also rushed to the spot.

However, movement of forces to the site was affected as miscreants blocked roads by felling trees and placing large boulders in some areas, sources said.


The injury figure could climb higher, the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) R P Koche said.


Eyewitnesses claimed that exchange of fire had taken place between the two groups, but officials could not confirm it.


Krishan Kumar said the village, located about 65 km from here, had high concentration of minorities and some of them were ex-servicemen.


Sources added that nine persons were injured in the incident and some of them were admitted to G Udaygiri hospital for treatment.

Of the injured, some had sustained bullet injuries, while others had wounds caused by sharp-edged weapons, hospital sources said.


The condition of two was stated to be serious