Titilagarh: A bank manager of Bijepur-based Utkal Gramya Bank was rendered critical after he was shot at by three unidentified miscreants inside the bank here in Bolangir district Friday afternoon.
While it is suspected that the miscreants barged into the bank with an intention to loot, they shot at the manager after he tried to intercept them. However, according to reports, the pre-meditated attack was fallout of previous enmity.
The injured manager, identified as Kailash Chandra Dora, sustained two bullet injuries on his stomach and was rushed to Titilagarh sub-divisional hospital. He was then shifted to Bolangir district headquarters hospital as his condition deteriorated. The incident took place at 2.30 pm.
According to sources, three miscreants wearing masks entered the bank and asked the manager for a loan. Since it was the lunch hour, he advised them to come the next day and gave them the loan forms. Suddenly, the miscreants asked him to hand over the bank locker keys. But as he refused to do sa, one of them opened two rounds of fire at him.
“Three persons came to me and inquired about bank loans. I told them the PCA is in force in the bank for which we cannot provide loans. We are only offering gold loans. They inquired the criteria about opening a bank account and sought a printed form to open an account. When I told them to come tomorrow, they shot at me,” said Dora while being taken to the hospital.
The miscreants also decamped with some cash. However, the amount of cash looted by them is yet to be ascertained.
Meanwhile, police have sealed all major check points in the town and launched a massive manhunt to nab the culprits.