Cuttack, June 1: Two unidentified goons shot a bus owner dead over business rivalry near a crowded Palamandap bus stand in the city this evening.

The deceased has been identified as Amarendra Rout, 35, of Shankarpur.

The incident occurred around 5:15pm when Rout was going to Angul bus stand to look into the daily affairs of his private bus.

An eyewitness said Rout had been intercepted by two motorcycle-borne youths. The criminals later fired at him from close range.

Rout, who sustained multiple gunshots on face and forehead, was immediately rushed to SCB Medical College and Hospital. However, he was declared brought dead by the doctors.

Another eyewitness said the two motorcycle-borne criminals had worn helmets. Later, the goons resorted to blank firing after few people had tried to nab them.

“My brother had left home around 5pm and within few minutes he was brutally attacked in full public view,” said Akhaya Rout, the deceased's brother.

Akhaya said his brother had been receiving constant threats from local criminal gang for the past one week.

The deceased’s family members said Rout had been into the bus business for the past 15 years and it was for the first time that he had received such threats.