Puri: In a major breakthrough in the Minister Maheswar Mohanty attack case, Director General of Police (DGP) Prakash Mishra claimed the police have got vital leads after visiting the crime spot on Saturday. He said the attack could have involvement of local miscreants.
"We have started the probe into the incident and have got major clues. The culprits will be caught soon," Mishra told reporters at the spot. However, he was tight-lipped about the motive behind the attack.
The DGP also visited the Bhubaneswar-based private hospital where Mohanty is being treated.
Earlier in the day, the DGP along with IG RP Koche, IG Sanjiv Panda and SP Anup Sahu went to the spot here and reviewed the progress of the investigation.
Mohanty sustained bullet injuries on his left arm and back last night when the attackers, who were apparently following him on a two-wheeler, opened fire at him in a narrow lane near his house here.
He was rushed to a hospital in Puri and subsequently shifted to Kalinga Hospital in Bhubaneswar.
This was the second attack on Mohanty in the last two years.
On January 30, 2012, an unidentified man had assaulted him with iron rods when he was addressing a meeting in a village.
Mohanty represents Puri constituency in the Odisha assembly.