Paradip, Dec. 19: A contractor was critically injured today when three persons shot at him in Jagatsinghpur.
The victim, Nagendra Jena, 45, suffered from bullet wounds on his left thigh and was rushed to Jagatsinghpur district headquarters hospital. Later, he was shifted to the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack when his condition deteriorated.
The incident has triggered tension in the township as contractors and traders of late have become the soft targets of organised gangs of extortionists.
At least four contractors and businessmen have been attacked in the past 10 months in and around the port town area.
Two goons on a motorcycle intercepted Jena near a government civil construction site at Alipingal on the outskirts of Jagatsinghpur Township and one fired two rounds at him from a revolver.
Sanjeev Mohanty, inspector of the Jagatsinghpur police station, said: 'The criminals involved in the shootout, have been identified. Search is on to nab them. Extortion is the prime motive behind the crime. Besides, the possibility of rival contractors hiring the criminals to eliminate Jena may not be ruled out. The police are examining various angles of the crime.'
Surge in mega construction projects is providing ample opportunities for hooligans to run extortion rackets in Paradip, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara.
The district police have constituted special squads, headed by inspectors, to arrest the goons. Though the crime rate has come down considerably in recent months, pre-emptive measures are under way to curb such incidents, said a senior police official.
There have been reports of extortion going on in the area. However, the victims are not coming forward to bring the issue to the notice of the police.
People should repose their faith in law-enforcing agencies and should voluntarily lodge complaints to nab the gangsters and criminals involved in unlawful activities, the official added.