Balasore | A woman police Inspector was allegedly manhandled and locked up by miscreants during a raid at a gambling den in Odisha's Balasore district.

According to police, the Inspector in-Charge (IIC) of Talsari Marine police station, Champabati Soren along with three of her staff was on patrolling duty on Sunday night.

Getting information, the police team raided a house in Udaipur village where a gambling session was going on.

Seeing the police party, some local people assembled and started manhandling them. It was alleged that the woman police officer along with her staff were locked up in a room, the police said.

Police force from Bhograi police station and Chandaneswar outpost reached the spot and rescued them, they said.

Acting on a tip-off about illegal gambling, the IIC and her staff reached the place. When she reached the spot during patrolling, there was an argument between the IIC and the locals. The locals scuffled with the IIC and detained her, said Dilip Sahu, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Jaleswar.

"An investigation is going on into the case. Appropriate action will be taken against the accused as per the law", the SDPO said.

About 20 people were detained over the incident and further investigation is on, police said.