Guwahati, Jan 14 (IANS): An irate mob on Thursday set a forest department office on fire after a wild buffalo killed a young man in Biswanath district in northern Assam bordering Arunachal Pradesh, officials said.

According to the police, hundreds of locals, including women, turned violent after Jayanta Das, a villager, was killed by a wild buffalo at Muttackgaon in Biswanath district. Accusing the forest officials of not taking adequate steps to prevent wild animals from entering into the human habitations and villages from the nearby forests, the angry villagers set on fire the office of the Central Range of the Biswanath Wildlife Division.

"A wild buffalo came to the Biswanath Ghat early on Thursday morning and tried to attack the villagers. We immediately informed the forest officials, but they reached the spot after the buffalo had attacked and killed Das," Prashanta Sharma, an eyewitness, told the media.

The villagers have demanded a compensation of Rs 50 lakh for the victim's family. The police and forest officials had a tough time pacifying the angry mob.