Police investigate at Banthapalli village in Berhampur after the shootout. Picture by Gopal Krishna Reddy

Berhampur, Feb. 27: Six armed goons killed a 28-year-old contractor and injured a 13-year-old boy at Banthapalli village situated on the outskirts of the city during a wedding procession last night.

The deceased Ram Chandra Padhi was a contractor and a resident of Banthapalli village.

The goons shot him when he was attending the marriage procession of his close friend Simanchal Swain.

“It was an organised and well-planned attack. Six persons armed with two mausers came out from the bush. One of them fired three gunshots from close range at my brother. While one bullet pierced through his chest, two other bullets hit his right leg and he fell down,” said Shyam Padhi, the deceased’s younger brother.

As firecrackers were being burst and the members of wedding procession were dancing to the tunes of the band party, there was chaos at the spot. Thirteen-year-old Jogendra was dancing near Padhi and when both of them fell down, everybody thought that they were acting.

“But when blood oozed out from my brother’s mouth and the six goons threatened others to go away from the spot, we realised that something wrong had happened,” said Shyam.

Bali Charan Padhi, another brother of the deceased, lodged a complaint against nine persons including Pradip Bishoyi, Uma Bishoyi, Banshi Bishoyi, Yudhistir Bishoyi, Kenchu Bishoyi and others at the Digapahandi police station today. Bali Charan said the Bishoyi family had left Banthapalli for the past three years and are were residing somewhere in Khemundi. The Bishoyi brothers are now in Congress party, he said.

“The Bishoyi brothers had also attacked me thrice earlier. However, there was personal rivalry between the two families for the past five years,” he Padhi.

“The police had already identified Banshi Bishoyi as an accused in this case and we would be able to nab all the accused and his associates soon,” Siba Biswal, inspector of Digapahandi police station.

“The goons have fled from the spot under the cover of darkness after committing the crime,” said Biswal. The police have seized two used bullets and one live bullet from the spot, he said.

Jogendra Rout, a Class VIII student in Banthapalli High School, sustained bullet injury in his stomach and is being treated at the surgery ward of the MKCG Medical College and Hospital here.