People gather at Puri hospital after the youth was declared dead. Picture by Sarat Patra

Bhubaneswar, Jan. 22: Puri district headquarters hospital was ransacked by supporters of a youth, who was shot dead near a temple here today.

The youths were demanding immediate arrest of the accused. The supporters of Bidyadhar Sahu, 24, who brought dead to the hospital following the shoot-out near Loknath temple in the afternoon, smashed glass doors and damaged furniture, demanding arrest of the culprit. They also alleged neglect by doctors at the hospital.

Police said Sahu took three bullets in various parts of his body while on his way to his house, barely a kilometre from Loknath temple, along with two friends.

“The accused came to us and threatened Sahu which led to an argument. All of a sudden, he fished out a pistol and shot Sahu from point blank range. We ran for our lives,” said Bishnu Charan Khatua, one of the two friends who accompanying Sahu.

The accused fired five rounds at Sahu. While two bullets missed, three others found the target. They hit Sahu on his head, chest and shoulder. Profusely bleeding he was rushed to the district headquarters hospital where he was declared brought dead.

Police said that the accused has been identified and efforts are on to nab him. “Past rivalry is suspected to be motive behind the murder. Sahu was an autorickshaw driver by profession and had once been arrested by the police for gambling,” said a senior police official.

“We are also investigating the other possible angles of the murder,” said Anup Kumar Sahoo, superintendent of police, Puri. On May 22 last year, a criminal was shot dead by a goon in Puri. The deceased identified as Bikram Keshari Das, 35, alias Pupuni Das, had been shot in his head near Market Chhak on the Grand Road.

“The city has been witnessing frequent crimes, especially murders. The criminals seem to have scant regard for the police, as murders are being committed in daylight. We are not feeling secure,” said Ajay Pradhan, a local resident.