Panaji, Sep 8 (IANS): Traffic along the Margao-Karwar section of the National Highway 17 was choked for nearly three hours late Thursday as residents of Balli village conducted a sit-in to protest the suicide of a man accused by the police of killing two tribal activists.

Residents of Balli village, located 35 kms from Panaji, where Gajanan Faldessai hailed from, blocked traffic to and from Margao and Karwar and shouted slogans against police, accusing them of victimizing Gajanan.

The blockade was later cleared, a police official said.

"The situation is under control. The NH 17 was blocked for nearly three hours, before we managed to clear it," Superintendent of Police (South) Waman Tari told IANS.

Faldessai was one of the 14 people who have been accused of murdering two tribal activists Dilip Velip and Mangesh Gaonkar, following a tribal rights rally, at Balli, in May this year.

The blockading mob also demanded the suspension of Police Inspector Sunita Sawant who is investigating the tribals' deaths and demanded that she be booked for abetting the suicide.