Bizman shot at in Odisha, locals block road to stage protest

A businessman has been shot at by bike-borne miscreants in Odisha's Kendrapara district, triggering tension among local people, police said.

Bibekanand Moharana, who runs a transport business, was returning home from work Saturday night when the miscreants opened fire at him near Danda Munda Chowk here, Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Rajib Lochan Panda said.

He was first rushed to the district headquarters hospital here and then shifted to SCB Medical College & Hospital in Cuttack, where his condition was stated to be critical, Panda said.

"Preliminary investigation suggests that business rivalry might have led to the attack on Moharana, who is also the district wing chief of Sangh Parivar-affiliated Dharma Rakhya Sena. The miscreants were probably hired by a rival businessman," he explained.

Locals, demanding immediate arrest of the culprits, staged a demonstration Sunday morning on the busy Cuttack- Chandballi state highway, bringing traffic to a halt for several hours.

Police have beefed up the security in the area in the wake of the attack and subsequent protests, the SDPO added.