Nine persons were injured, two of them critically, when a mob attacked a village in Orissa's riot-hit Kandhamal district on Tuesday, the police said.

Armed miscreants from outside entered Rudangia village under G Udaygiri police station and attacked the villagers, Kandhamal District Collector Krishan Kumar said.

The villagers retaliated resulting in the clash, Kumar said.

The situation was brought under control after a police team reached the spot, he said, adding that Superintendent of Police Praveen Kumar had also rushed to the spot.

However, movement of forces to the site was affected as roads were blocked by felling trees and large boulders placed in some areas, sources said.

The number of injured could go higher, Deputy Inspector General of Police R P Koche said.

Eyewitnesses claimed that exchange of fire had taken place between the two groups, but officials could not confirm it.

Krishan Kumar said the village, located about 65 km from Phulbani, had high concentration of minorities and some of them were ex-servicemen.

Sources added that nine persons were injured in the incident and some of them were admitted to G Udaygiri hospital for treatment.

Of the injured, some had sustained bullet injuries, while others had wounds caused by sharp-edged weapons, hospital sources said. The condition of two was stated to be serious.