The man was attacked when he was on way to open his shop in Bichli Khandak area in the Bihar town, where one company of Rapid Action Force and two companies of CRPF are assisting Bihar military police and local police to maintain peace, the sources said.

The authorities, the sources said, today arrested four persons for forcing shopkeepers to down their shutters.

The arrest sparked off protests by about 2000 people, including women who gheraoed Murarpur police station and demanded their immediate release, the sources said.

With the arrest today 12 people have been taken into custody for creating trouble in the town, where tension prevails since two persons were killed in a clash between two communities over Durga idol immersion on Saturday, the sources said.

A team of senior Congress leaders headed byformer BPCC president Sarfaraz Ahmed has demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident after touring affected parts of the town.

Ahmed claimed the clashes could have been averted had the administration been vigilant and demanded compensation of Rs five lakh to the next of kin of those killed and government job to at least one member of their families.

Former BPCC vice-president Vijay Shanker Mishra, MLA Rajendra Singh, former ministers Dilkeshwar Ram and Shyam Sunder Singh Dheeraj were other members of the team.