A goat trader died while two others suffered injuries after three bike-borne masked miscreants opened fire at them during loot near Tarini temple under Lephripada police limits in Sundargarh district in the wee hours of Thursday.
The miscreants fled the spot after snatching Rs 9 lakh from the trio.
While the deceased and the injured persons have been identified as the residents of Saradhapali area under Bhasma police limits, the police have launched a manhunt to nab the miscreants.
According to sources, at around 5 am today the trio was going to a goat market in Handipani area under Lephripada police limits. To buy goats, they carried Rs 9 lakh with them.
As they were passing by the Tarini temple at Suruguda, three bike-borne masked miscreants, who are suspected to have followed the goat traders since long, waylaid them.
Seeing the miscreants, the rider of the goat traders accelerated the bike. But the miscreants kicked the bike following which the goat traders fell off the bike. The one who had carried the money bag started to run from the spot to save the money. But one of the miscreants opened fire at him and all of them sped away from the spot with the cash bag.
On being informed, a team from Lephripada police station along with a scientific team reached the spot and recovered the body for post-mortem. According to the injured goat traders, the miscreants were riding on a numberless bike.
A detailed investigation is underway.