BARIPADA: Three bike-borne armed miscreants reportedly shot dead a 46-year-old man returning from a cattle market and looted Rs 1.5 lakh cash from him in Ghagarbedha area of Mayurbhanj district on Sunday.
The deceased was identified as Harananda Mohanta, a cattle trader of Khuntapada in Keonjhar town.
Police sources said Mohanta along with two of his associates had come to Angarpada weekly market with Rs 1.5 lakh cash to procure cattle. Unable to find suitable cows, the trio decided to return with the money. They were on way home on a motorcycle when three-bike borne miscreants intercepted them at a secluded place near Kendua village, a few metres away from Baitarani bridge.
The miscreants, who were wearing helmets, asked the trio at gunpoint to hand over the cash bag to them. When Mohanta refused, one of the miscreants opened fire, killing him on the spot. The robbers then snatched the cash bag from Mohanta’s associates and sped away.
On being informed, Ghagarbedha police rushed to the crime scene for investigation. The body was seized for autopsy. A murder case was registered and police have sealed the inter-district bordering routes. Efforts are underway to identify and nab the miscreants involved in the crime, said police.
