In a chilling incident that has sent shockwaves through the local community, a 30-year-old man was shot and injured near Lambaswari village under the Kantamal police limits in Boudh district on Wednesday evening.
The victim has been identified as Pranabandhu Bastia, a resident of Dhenukuti village under the Lambaswari panchayat. According to reports, Bastia had visited Lambaswari to spend time at his parents-in-law’s house.
The incident unfolded around 5:00 PM on Wednesday when Bastia was standing near the village outskirts. Eyewitness accounts suggest that a group of miscreants approached him, leading to a heated verbal altercation over an undisclosed matter. Amid the argument, the assailants suddenly opened fire, striking Bastia in the leg before fleeing the scene.
Rushed initially to the local Kantamal hospital for emergency treatment, Bastia was later shifted to the Balangir district headquarters hospital for advanced medical care. While preliminary speculations point toward a minor dispute as the trigger, the exact motive behind the shooting remains unclear as investigations continue.
Upon receiving information, Kantamal police rushed to the spot and launched a thorough probe to trace and apprehend the absconding culprits.
Coming on the heels of another recent shooting incident in the same panchayat that occurred less than a month ago, this latest bout of violence has raised serious concerns among locals regarding the deteriorating law and order situation in the region. Demands are growing louder for immediate police action and the swift arrest of the perpetrators.
