Cuttack, June 14: A policeman was injured when some goons hurled a crude bomb at him at an eatery in Pirbazar on the Cuttack-Bhubaneswar Highway today.

The incident took place this afternoon when constable Braja Mohan Swain had gone for lunch at Bijaya Dhaba. The eatery is located in the Sadar police station limits.

The accused had already been at the eatery and they suspected the policeman came there looking for them.

Owner of the eatery Govind Chandra Sahu said one of the goons had gone outside and hurled a crude bomb at the constable.

“The bomb hit the wall inside and the constable, who was standing near the restaurant counter, sustained minor injuries. Before leaving the place, the group also assaulted the constable,” said Sahu.

Eyewitnesses said the youths, who had come in a Tata Indica car to the eatery from the Bhubaneswar side, fled towards Cuttack. The eatery is not more than 100 metres away from Cuttack Sadar police station.

Incidentally, chief minister Naveen Patnaik had come to Gopalpur, which is around 15 minutes by road from the area, this morning. Naveen was there to inaugurate a construction skill and training institute. The chief minister was there till around 2pm.

There are nearly 25 eateries along the national highway No. 5 connecting the twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar. Local residents have been complaining for long that lack of police patrolling has turned these roadside restaurants into the criminals’ dens.

Liquor is served at many of these places even during the day.

The constable, who is in a state of shock, has been discharged after the first aid. The police said they would be able to track down the culprits on the basis of clues provided by some eyewitnesses.