Patna, Jan 15 (IANS) Hundreds of people blocked roads and set vehicles ablaze in Bihar’s Newada town Sunday after a man died in police custody, officials said.

Manoj Yadav, in his mid 20s, died while he was in custody in Newada, some 150 km from here. However, police allegedly threw his body in a field.

Soon after Yadav’s body was found by some locals, the news spread like wildfire and hundreds of angry people gathered outside the police station, attacked police vehicles, pelted stones at the district magistrate’s residence and set ablaze vehicles in protest.

“Hundreds of people took to the streets following Yadav’s death in custody. They attacked police vehicles and blocked roads,” a police officer said.

Police fired in the air to disperse the mob. Authorities have banned the assembly of five or more people.

According to police, Yadav had been held on suspicion of involvement in a murder case four days ago and was taken to the police station for interrogation.

“During interrogation, police badly beat him up and tortured him,” a family member alleged, adding that Yadav was innocent.