Balasore, March 25: Armed dacoits robbed a garment merchant of Rs 90,000 cash and fired at him in the early hours today in the Bahalda police station limits in Mayurbhanj district.

Sk. Muzzafar, 20, who sustained bullet injury, was rushed to Baripada district headquarters hospital and later shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack as his condition was found to be critical.

The incident took place around 3.15am when the victim and his elder bother Sk. Saraf, 35, both garment merchants, were on their way to the nearby bus stand to catch a bus for Tata Nagar. The goons, six in number, came on two motorcycles from behind and threatened the two merchants with a knife. They asked them to hand over the cash bag, but the brothers did not oblige. While Saraf ran away from the spot, one of the goons open fired at Muzzafar. The bullet hit his abdomen. The criminals then fled after snatching the cash bag.

Acting on the complaint lodged by the victim’s father, Bahalda police registered a case under Section 395 of the Indian Penal Code and sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act.

“The motive could be loot or old rivalry,” said sub-divisional police officer of Rairangpur Santosh Das. “We have alerted all the police stations and are maintaining vigil on the entry and exit points of the block,” he said.