A 47-year-old man was mowed down by a police vehicle in North Dinajpur on Tuesday afternoon.

The vehicle, which was out of control, also damaged some shops.

Sources said that around 12pm, a police vehicle stopped at Sujali on the outskirts of Islampur town. The driver got out to drink tea, leaving the ignition key inside.

A police constable seated in the car switched on the ignition, after which the vehicle went out of control.

It went over Sohrab Hossain, who was standing nearby, and rammed into some shops. Residents rushed Hossain to the primary health centre in Ramganj where doctors pronounced him dead.

Angry villagers fought with the police in protest and reportedly attacked the vehicle. Both sides jostled with the other.

Additional forces from Islampur police station brought the situation under control.

“It seems that the constable in the vehicle didn’t know driving, but still switched on the ignition. Fortunately, the vehicle stopped on hitting a wall, or else more people would have been harmed,” said Anarul Haque, an eyewitness.

Hossain, sources said, was from Dhuligaon of Islampur.

His body has been sent for post-mortem. The police have also initiated a probe.