Bhubaneswar, Oct. 27 -- A man detained in a narcotics case died in Haryana Police's custody in Odisha's Malkangiri town, triggering protests by his family and local residents, people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.

According to the people, a team from Hansi police station picked up the 22-year-old man on charges of smuggling drugs on Sunday night and took him to a lodge in Malkangiri. His body was found in the hotel on Monday morning.

The deceased's family alleged that the police beat him to death and tried to pass it off as a suicide. The man's death sparked tension in the area, with protesters burning tyres, blocking National Highway 326 and surrounding the Malkangiri police station, demanding the arrest of Haryana police pe...