Cuttack: An attempt to recover a sum of money lent out on interest proved fatal for a 35-year-old trader of Bhagatpur who was shot dead allegedly by the loanee at Pithapur Kothasahi in Purighat police limits here Sunday.
The deceased was identified as Dilip Sahu. Purighat police recovered the body and sent it to SCB Medical College and Hospital for autopsy. There has been no formal complaint lodged in this regard. However, taking cognisance of the incident, police would register a case, a Purighat police official said, adding that a forensic team has inspected the spot.
According to sources, Sahu, a trader, had lent out several lakhs of rupees to a few persons in and around Malgodown area.
DCP Akhilesvar Singh said Ajit Jena of Kothasahi area here, who had borrowed a few lakhs of rupees from Sahu, was dilly-dallying to repay the amount. This took a tragic turn Sunday afternoon.
“Eyewitnesses, especially Jena’s neighbours, confirmed that it was 3.30pm when Sahu visited Jena’s place. Soon the duo picked up a quarrel and in a fit of rage Jena opened fire on Sahu leading to his instantaneous death,” Singh said, adding that two bullets hit Sahu on his chest.
Police said teams have been formed to track down Jena who along with his family is on the run. “The fact that Jena is on the run ever since the incident substantiates that he had opened fire,” the DCP said adding that they have seized two spent cartridges from the spot.
Police said Sahu had no criminal antecedents while Jena had a case registered against him with the Mangalabag police in connection with a bombing case in Mahtab Road in 2017.