Berhampur, July 15: Two persons today shot at the manager of a petrol pump, injuring him, and robbed him of Rs 5,76,800 at Rambha, 47 kilometres from here.

The two robbers came on a motorbike and fired three shots at the manager while he was on his way to a bank to deposit the cash. The victim, M. Srinivas Rao, was taken to Rambha Hospital and later shifted to MKCG Medical College and Hospital here.

Srinivas was carrying the money in a handbag. “I had walked about half a kilometre and reached Diandein Square when suddenly two persons riding on a black Pulsar came from behind and obstructed my path,” Srinivas said.

“They tried to snatch my handbag and when I resisted, one of them fired at me from his pistol. The bullet pierced my knee. Then he tried to shoot at my chest and it passed close to my right foot when I raised my left hand and tried to push them. The third bullet hit my bike. I fell to the ground as there was severe pain in my knee,” Srinivas said.

The person who was driving the bike was wearing a helmet and the one who opened fire had long hair. Both the robbers speeded towards Berhampur on their bike with the cash.

Rashmi Ranjan Pradhan, inspector in charge of Rambha police station recorded the statement of Srinivas at Rambha Hospital. “We are hopeful of nabbing both the robbers. The owner of the petrol pump Sudhir Kumar Patnaik has lodged an FIR at the police station,” Pradhan said.