Pal’s motorcycle lies at the shootout site. Picture by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, Sept. 23: A youth with criminal antecedents was critically injured when two unidentified goons fired at him at Jhola Sahi in the Puri Ghat police limits today.

The injured Rajesh Pal, 32, suffered a bullet injury in his rib and has been admitted to SCB Medical College and Hospital.The incident occurred around 7.15am when Pal was on his way to attend his gym session at Kalinga Gymnasium near Saheed Bhavan in the city.

Two motorcycle-borne assailants fired two rounds of bullets at Pal and escaped from the spot. It is suspected that Pal has been targeted over past rivalry. Police have recovered an empty bullet shell from the spot.

The incident has thrown a challenge for the police keeping in view of the upcoming Dussehra festival in the city.

“We have not seen the attackers. Hearing loud gun shots we came out of our houses,” said Butu Behera, a local resident.

Police sources said Pal, who hails from Ranihat, was associated with gangster Minza’s group. In the past, he was involved in a series of criminal incidents. However, he was not involved in any criminal activities for the past one-and-a-half years. Instead, he was assisting his father in marble business in the city.

Though it is suspected that Pal’s rival groups, including the one led by Tito, could have attacked him, senior police officials have ruled out possibility of any “gang war”.

“So far, it appears that past rivalry could be one of the reasons for the firing incident,” said deputy commissioner of police S. Praveen Kumar.

Kumar said the police were taking adequate steps to beef up security for Dussehra. Nearly 100 criminals have been arrested during a special drive launched last month.

Special emphasis is being made to curb forcible collection of chanda (donation) for the Puja in the city, he said.

Foreigner bail plea

The lawyer of William M. Hurtubise, the US national who was caught with eight live bullets from Biju Patnaik Airport on September 18, today filed a bail plea on his behalf before a local court here. Sources said the hearing on the bail petition would be held tomorrow.

Police had earlier denied the claims made by the 27-year-old engineer that he had brought the bullets from his country. They are waiting for the ballistic report from the State Forensic Laboratory in Bhubaneswar.

Police officials said that though the report of the test generally took a month to arrive, it could be produced earlier if the court so directed. An expert conducts the test to ascertain the type of bullets and their origin.