Bhubaneswar, Feb. 3: Jatni police arrested a businessman for injuring a security guard deployed at his unused factory at Janla industrial area on the outskirts of the city after he fired at him from his licensed pistol late last night.

The accused, Sukant Biswal, 55, a resident of Nayapalli, was sent to Jharapada special jail after a local court rejected his bail plea this evening.

Police sources said Biswal had fired four bullets at the security guard, identified as Ramesh Harichandan, 32, of Khurda. While three bullets hit the victim’s head, one hit his left thigh.

After getting information about the incident, the police control room (PCR) van from Jatni police station rushed him to Capital Hospital from where he was later shifted to a private hospital in the city. His condition was learnt to be critical and he has been kept in the intensive care unit.

The police said the incident occurred around 11pm. Biswal had an argument with the security guard after he accused Harichandan of being late for duty. The guard retaliated saying he always came at that time, following which they had a heated exchange.

Biswal then assaulted the victim with a stick and Harichandan pelted stones at him. Injured in the head by the stones, Biswal opened fire at the security guard.

Sources said that as the area was an isolated patch in the industrial area, no one learnt of the incident. Afterwards, Biswal called his relatives over the telephone and they in turn informed the police, who rushed the two to hospital.

“After medical check-up, we immediately arrested Biswal, who seemed to be drunk. We also seized his pistol. The attack was caused by sudden provocation. He was booked for trying to kill the security guard, hurting him and threatening to murder. He was also charged under the Arms Act for using his licensed gun for wrong purposes,” said assistant commissioner of police Jagannath Pradhan. The police said they would record the statement of the injured after he recovered.

Sources said Biswal had a cattle feed production factory on that plot, which had been closed for the past year. He was planning to set up a cement and brick business on that plot.