Berhampur: Three unidentified goons gunned down a contractor at Gothagaon village in Sheragada police station area in Ganjam district late on Sunday night.

The deceased has been identified as Jogendra Swain. The attack is suspected to be a fallout of a past enmity.

Around 10.30pm on Sunday, Jogendra was assisting Bol Bom devotees with his associates at a nearby temple mandap when the goons reached the spot in two motorbikes and opened fire at him. One bullet hit his body, while the other missed the target, said a source in the police.

"I was sleeping when the incident took place and I rushed to the spot after being informed. I found my brother lying on road in a profusely bleeding state. We rushed him to a community health centre at Hinjili from where he was referred to the MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur. The doctors at MKCG referred him to Vishakhapatnam as his condition deteriorated. However, he succumbed to the injuries on the way to Vishakhapatnam," said Jogendra's brother Bipin Swain.

"We suspect the role of former village sarpanch Shivaram Sethi and his associates in the crime," said Bipin who lodged the FIR and mentioned the name of Shivaram Sethi as the accused.

Sheragada police station inspector in-charge Biswaranjan Nayak said: "On the basis of a complaint filed by the deceased's kin Bipin Swain, a case has been registered while efforts are on to nab the accused persons. In 2014, Jogendra had tried to kill Shivaram and there were cases pending against him," he said.

Shivaram was sarpanch from 2012 to 2017. Both Shivaram and Jogendra were supporters of the BJD but their relationship sourced in the last five years.

There were serious differences of opinion between them over the construction of works undertaken by Jogendra.