Puri Boils After Ayurvedic Student 'Shot At By Miscreants During Loot Bid'

Puri: Tension erupted in the pilgrim city on Tuesday after two unidentified bike-borne miscreants allegedly opened fire at a student of Gopabandhu Ayurveda Mahavidyalaya here during a loot bid. Injured Janmajeya Mantry, a second year student of the college, was rushed to hospital for treatment.

While Mantry was heading towards Heragohari Street in the evening, the two miscreants followed him and intercepted him near an isolated Boarding Chhak. They tried to escape with Mantry's mobile phone but when he resisted their attempt, the miscreants allegedly thrashed him and opened fire at him. Mantry has reportedly sustained bullet injury in one of his palms.

Speaking to OTV, Mantri said, "They (miscreants) tried to snatch my mobile phone but when they failed to do so, they fled the spot. They again returned, tugged off my shirt and thrashed me. When one of them took out a pistol, I tried to object that with my palm. That is how I sustained injury."

Soon after the incident, massive protest spiraled with hundreds of students of the Ayurvedic College gathering near VIP Road and staging a road blockade by burning tyres. While a complaint has already been lodged at Kumbharapada police station, the students refused to buzz off from the protest scene demanding immediate arrest of the accused.

The agitating students raised slogans - "We Want Justice. Puri Administration, Down Down."

If strict action is not taken, we will be forced to intensify the agitation, threatened another student, adding that the unsafe environment has triggered panic among all.

College Principal, Sudarsan Behera said, "Four to five persons stopped him near Boarding Samiti. They asked him his mobile phone for reasons unknown. When he objected, they thrashed him and one of them started brandishing a weapon and later shot a round at him. We have lodged a complaint with police."

Police, however, is yet to respond.

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