KENDRAPARA: A 26-year-old youth suffered grievous injuries after he was shot at by three unidentified motorcycle-borne miscreants at Balisahi village within Kendrapara Sadar police limits on Sunday.
The injured is Gautam Mallick of Bharigola within Kudanagari police limits. Police suspect the hand of sand mafia in the incident as Gautam works in a sand quarry.
Sources said the youth was present at the sand quarry in Balisahi in the afternoon when the bike-borne miscreants arrived on the spot and opened fire at him. Gautam sustained gunshot injuries on his legs.
While the attackers managed to flee from the spot, locals reached the spot after hearing the gunshots and rushed the injured youth to the district headquarters hospital at Kendrapara. Gautam was later shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital at Cuttack after his condition worsened.
On being informed, police rushed to the spot for investigation. Sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) of Kendrapara Jyoti Ranjan Gouda said, “We suspect the role of sand mafia in the incident. All entry points of Kendrapara town have been sealed. Efforts are underway to identify and nab the attackers.”
Sources said sand mafia are running amok in several villages of the coastal district due to unauthorised mining on the river beds of Mahanadi, Kharasrota, Luna, Chitrotpala, Karandi, Brahmani and Birupa. Reportedly, powerful sand mafia continue to plunder the river beds with the connivance of local administrative officials.
Social worker Amarbar Biswal said unauthorised sand mining is turning out to be a lucrative cottage industry in many areas of the districts. “Sand lifting has reached a feverish pace in recent days due to huge demand from construction companies. Officially, sand mining is currently underway at 45 reaches in the river beds. However, the mafia are lifting sand illegally from 75 places and the administration has turned a blind eye to the unauthorised practice,” he alleged.