Bhiwani (Haryana), June 20 (IANS) Ten village heads at their meeting in Haryana’s Bhiwani district Friday set a 13-day deadline for the state government to dismiss the police officials involved in the killing of a youth in an “encounter” near Tosham town. The village heads at their ‘mahapanchayat’ (mega meet) demanded a compensation of Rs.2 million and a government job to a member of the family of Mahinder Kumar, who was shot. The village heads held their meeting Friday at village Garanpura, where the youth was killed.

Kumar was shot late Wednesday by a police squad at a security barricade near Tosham town, 25 km from here. A taxi driver, Kumar was the sole earning member in his family.

Villagers shouted slogans against the police and the state government in Kumar’s village Friday. They also blocked the highway to Bhiwani Thursday to protest the youth’s killing by the police.

“We want action against the police officials so that they do not kill any innocent people in future,” said Sher Singh, a village head.

The Bhiwani police ordered a probe into the incident Thursday.

Sanjay Kumar, the Bhiwani district police chief, claimed Mahinder did not stop at the barricade when flagged down by the police and opened fire on the policemen.

However, villagers and family members of Kumar said he was innocent and had been hit on the back by the police.

The killing of the youth further embarrasses the state police after a woman from Rohtak and a youth near Karnal committed suicides in the past 10 days alleging police excesses.