Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, June 18: A sand and gravel contractor was shot dead in broad daylight Thursday at an under-construction building site near AIIMS at Patrapada in the city. The contractor was allegedly killed by a gang that was demanding extortion money from the deceased to let him continue with an ongoing deal.
The bloodied body of Dilip Nayak (38), of Nuapokhari, was found at the site with a gunshot wound to his chest. Nayak’s body was taken to Capital Hospital for postmortem.
Nayak’s family said he had gone to lodge a complaint with Khandagiri inspector in-charge Sarat Kumar Sahu Wednesday after receiving death threats from the extortionists, but was reportedly sent back with an assurance that nothing would happen to him.
Raju Barik, the alleged head of the gang that gunned Nayak down, reportedly went to the construction site Thursday morning with his accomplices Jeevan Samantray and Panchanan Das. Sources said somebody from Barik’s gang was behind the murder.
Sharma, however, refused to divulge names. “Since an FIR has not been registered yet and the persons taken in custody have not been arrested formally, we cannot reveal any names at this stage,” Sharma said.
Sources said Barik is absconding and Jeevan and Panchanan are in custody, but Khandagiri police refused to confirm the reports.
Barik had allegedly threatened Nayak not to take up the present contract at the Patrapada building site being constructed by builders Pradeep Agarwal and Vinod Agrawal. Barik allegedly demanded `10 lakh from Nayak if he wanted to take up the project.
