Maoists fired indiscriminately at a police station in Latehar district in the wee hours of Thursday killing a destitute man, police said.

The man was sleeping at the roadside around 1.30 am, when a bullet hit him as Maoists opened gun fire on Balumath police station and a nearby camp of security personnel, Vinay Kumar Singh, officer-in-charge of the police station, told reporters here.

The Maoists were forced to retreat after retaliatory action by the security forces. No casualties have been reported from either sides.

The body of the destitute was recovered this morning. The rebels also blew up the vacant house of a panchayat member, Rajendra Sahu, around the same time in the area, police said.

Agitated villagers have put up road blockade on NH-99 protesting against the incident.