Chhatrapur: A finance collection officer was rendered critical after he was shot at while another was injured by miscreants Friday. Later, the miscreants looted lakhs of rupees from the two, police said.
The injured were identified as Kanhu Charan Mahapatra of Laxmiprasad village in Nayagarh district and Toka Samal of Kalang village in Khurda district.
According to sources, both Mahapatra and Samal worked as collection officers for ‘SKS Finance Company’. They travel from places to places and collect money from loan borrowers.
As usual, the two on a motorbike went for collection to Krushnaprasad in Puri district. After collection, the two were on their way to Chhatrapur when the incident occurred. Meanwhile, three youths who were aware of Mahapatra and Samal’s whereabouts intercepted their vehicle near a temple at Palurgarh.
A fight broke out after the miscreants tried to snatch their bags. The three beat up Samal and snatched his money bag. Later, they attacked Mahapatra and tried to snatch his bag as well. However, Mahapatra retaliated and fought with them. Enraged, a miscreant took a pistol and shot him in his leg. Later, they snatched his bag and fled after he fell down. The bullet pierced through his leg while a portion of it remained stuck in his thighs.
Locals spotted the two in critical condition and alerted Rambha police who rescued and admitted them to Chhatrapur sub-divisional hospital. Doctors removed the left over part of the bullet from Mahapatra’s thighs and shifted him to MKCG Medical College and Hospital for further treatment. Police registered a case and launched a manhunt to nab the accused. PNN