Kendrapara, Jan. 24: A 32-year-old history-sheeter was shot dead by unidentified goons today near a traffic intersection on the busy National Highway 5-A, bringing to the fore the spurt in crime rate in Kendrapara and its surrounding areas.

The deceased, Kedar Swain, died on the spot, which is just 100 metres away from the Kendrapara rural police station.

The local police, however, are still groping in the dark and identity of the criminals is yet to be established.

Three motorcycle-borne goons intercepted Swain, who was also on a two-wheeler, and shot him from close range.

The bullet pierced his forehead and Swain died on the spot.

Though the incident happened in front of a few people, the assailants fled before the witnesses could do anything.

The deceased had a history of crime.

Last year, he was arrested for a murder in the Marshaghai police station area. He was facing trial in the case and was out on bail.

"Swain was a history sheeter and several other criminal cases were also pending against him," said Kendrapara superintendent of police Nitinjit Singh.

"The firing was perpetrated by criminals who are believed to be having past enmity with him. However, the exact motive of the crime is yet to be ascertained. The cops are on the job to arrest the killers. Special squads have been formed to nab them at the earliest," said Singh.

A case under Section 302 and 34 of IPC and Section 25 and 27 of Arms Act has been registered in this connection, a policeman said.

Spurt in industrial activities and surge in mega construction projects in the neighbouring Paradip are providing ample opportunities for crime mongers to operate their syndicates.

Besides businessmen, contractors, builders, common men have also become soft targets of the law-breakers.

Of late, highway robbery has become a common occurrence while cases of snatching also on the rise. A number of cases of snatching of purse and gold chains have been reported in the past two months.

Landlords held

Nayapalli police on Sunday arrested the landlords of the Bangladeshi national who was earlier nabbed for living illegally in the state's Jajpurdistrict.

They have been identified as Sheik Gumani and Sheik Sanuwaar. Earlier, the police had arrested Mohammad Bashir, 27, on January 20.