BERHAMPUR: A 41-year-old woman suffered grievous injury after being reportedly shot at by her son for refusing to give him money for alcohol at Kalasakhamana village within Banigocha police limits in Nayagarh district on Saturday evening.
While the victim, Duhita Pradhan, has been hospitalised, police on Sunday detained her 23-year-old son Sushant Pradhan and are interrogating him.
Sources said after sundown, Sushant reached home in an inebriated condition and demanded money from his mother to buy more alcohol. When Duhita refused, he became agitated, went to his room and returned with a country-made gun. When his demand was turned down once again, he opened fire at his mother.
Duhita suffered bullet injury on her leg and became unconscious due to profuse bleeding. On hearing the gunshot and the woman’s screams, neighbours reached the spot. But by then, Sushant had already fled leaving the gun in the house.
Duhita was rushed to the community health centre at Daspalla. However, the doctors there referred her to the district headquarters hospital at Nayagarh. On Sunday, she was shifted to a hospital in Bhubaneswar after her condition deteriorated.
On being informed, police reached Duhita’s house and seized the firearm used in the crime. After carrying out raids at different places, police nabbed Sushant.
The accused’s brother Sagar said Sushant often used to come home drunk and created disturbance in an inebriated condition. He also used to threaten their mother with dire consequences when she refused to give him money for more booze.
An officer of Banigocha police station station said the accused has been detained and is being interrogated to ascertain the source from where he procured the firearm. Investigation is underway to find out if Sushant has any criminal antecedent.