Traders block a road and burn tyres at Matamatha in Cuttack on Thursday. Picture by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, Dec. 13: Demonstration and road blockade today marked the bandh organised to protest against the killing of a city-based trader on Wednesday night.

The trader, Vineeth Vohra, 28, was shot dead while his father Umed Vohra sustained bullet injuries in the firing by unidentified goons around 9.30pm yesterday.

The father and son were closing their electrical shop at Matamatha when two motorcycle-borne goons opened fired at them from close range.

Both Vineeth and his father Umed were rushed to SCB Medical College and Hospital, where doctors declared Vineeth as brought dead.

Umed, who has suffered two bullet injuries in his stomach, was subsequently shifted to a private hospital and his condition is critical.

Protesting against the killing, the traders’ community staged a protest and observed a bandh today demanding immediate arrest of the goons involved in the firing.

All shops at Matamatha, Mastan Dargha, Howrah Motors, Cantonment Road, Buxi Bazaar and Choudhry Bazaar remained closed in protest.

The agitators burnt tyres and blocked the road for over three hours at Matamatha, Howrah Motors Chhak and Manisahu Chhak. The demonstration was called off after senior officials of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar police held a discussion with the traders.

“It has become a routine affair and the traders are not feeling safe. We want justice for the family members of the trader who have been shattered by the incident,” said Cuttack Byabasai Mahasangha secretary Subhkaran Jain.

“We had not seen the attackers but hearing gunshots we immediately rushed to the spot and saw both Vineeth and his father lying on the road. Later, we stopped a car and rushed both of them to hospital,” said Ateeth Moda, a trader.

Vineeth and his father, both owners of Jaysree Electricals, were running the shop at Matamatha for the last 20 years and were staying at CDA Sector-VI.

It is suspected that the traders were attacked with an intention to loot as the goons decamped with a bag containing cash worth over Rs 40,000.

Though the exact motive behind the killing is not clear, it is suspected that it could also be a case of extortion or business rivalry. However, deputy commissioner of police S. Praveen Kumar said the matter was being investigated.

“The goons have looted cash. All possible angles in connection with the killing are being investigated,” Kumar said.