ROURKELA: A 48-year-old man sustained injuries after allegedly being shot at by two unidentified bike-borne miscreants in a suspected case of business rivalry over sand mining, while he was driving back home on Saturday.
The injured, Bijay Lakra, is a Kuanrmunda-based businessman. Lakra was driving back home in his car when the miscreants fired at the running vehicle near the Sector 4 post office within Sector 3 police limits between 8.30 and 9 pm.
As per reports, he received bullet injuries on his neck as a result of which he lost control of the vehicle and rammed it into the boundary wall of a roadside quarters of Rourkela Steel Plant.
Video footage showed a bleeding Lakra holding his injured neck and accusing businessman and chairman of Birmitrapur municipality Sandeep Mishra, with whom he reportedly shares a bitter relationship due to rivalry over sand mining, of having hired people to attack him. He alleged Mishra had recently sent his men to threaten to kill him over the issue.
Following the incident, Lakra was rushed to Ispat General Hospital where he is currently undergoing treatment. DIG of Police (Western Range) Brijesh Kumar Rai said Lakra received injuries on his mandible (lower jawbone). He is stable and giving statement, the DIG added.
“As per the victim’s statements, Mishra and another Montu Chhabra of Birmitrapur had assaulted him three months back and also threatened of killing him over a sand mining dispute,” the DIG said adding, further investigation is underway.
Efforts to elicit a response from Mishra on the incident proved futile.