Tractor Driver Shot At For Refusing To Pay Extortion Money In Odisha’s Cuttack; Hospitalised

Cuttack: A tractor driver was critically injured after being shot at by miscreants when he refused to pay them dadabati (extortion money) at a village in Athagarh area of Odisha’s Cuttack district on Wednesday.

As per preliminary reports, the incident took place at Mahidharpur village under Athagarh police limits in Cuttack district. The tractor driver has been identified as Biswajit Palei from Cuttack district.

Sources said Biswajit was engaged in soil-laying work along the road when four miscreants demanded extortion money from him. He was on his way to the work site when he was intercepted.

As he expressed his inability to pay the demanded amount, the miscreants opened fire at him and fled the scene.

The victim, who sustained bullet injuries on abdomen, was rescued by locals and immediately taken to a government-run hospital in Athagarh for treatment. He was later shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital (SCBMCH) in Cuttack as his condition deteriorated.

On being informed, a police team from Athagarh visited the spot and initiated a probe. Efforts are on to trace the miscreants and nab them.