The electrical goods shop which was bombed at Manisahu Chhak. Picture by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, Aug. 3: Unidentified criminals today hurled a bomb on an electrical goods shop located at Manisahu Chhak after its proprietor had refused to pay extortion money demanded by the group.

Though no one was injured in the incident, other traders in the area closed their shutters following the incident that occurred at around 3pm in the afternoon.

Police sources said the proprietor of Arnab Enterprises, Druga Prasad Pahari, 45, received threats from the criminals, who had recently demanded a ransom of Rs 5 lakh.

“Two men came on a motorcycle and hurled a bomb at my shop. Luckily, no one was injured in the incident. However, the glass panel in front of the shop’s gate got damaged,” said Pahari.

Pahari said that on Saturday, he had received a threat call from a person demanding Rs 5 lakh. He was told that if he did not pay the money, they would kill his son.

Following this, he lodged a formal police complaint the same day and police personnel were deployed in front of his shop and house.

Last month on the day of rath yatra, Pahari relocated his shop.“No doubt such incidents occur at regular intervals and mostly during the beginning of the festive seasons to terrorise businessmen and traders. As most of them pay the money to buy peace, the criminals get encouraged,” said a businessman, who wished not to be named.

This is the third bombing incident in the past couple of months in the city.