Firing on Minister: Mohanty out of danger, political rivalry suspected

--CM assures to take stringent action against culprits  

BHUBANESWAR: Minister for Law, Culture and Tourism and Puri MLA Maheswar Mohanty, who was shot at around 9 pm on Friday by unidentified miscreants in Puri, is out of danger. It was confirmed by the five-member doctor team of the Kalinga Hospital after successfully conducting operations on Mohanty in the wee hours of Saturday.

Mohanty sustained two bullet injuries in his hand and shoulder, sources said. One of these bullets had pierced into the seventh rib of his chest which was later removed by the doctor team led by general surgeon Dr Abhaya Sutar and neurosurgeon Dr Chandramouli Mitra of the hospital.

The small size bullet which pierced into Mohanty’s seventh rib had ‘just touched’ his lungs causing slight injury, said hospital sources.

The 108 ambulance brought Mohanty at the midnight and he was taken to the Operation Theatre at around 3.40 am in the early morning, it added.

“Though the Minister’s condition is stable, it is difficult to tell he is fully well,” said managing director of the hospital Dr Rajkishore Padhy, adding, “He will be under 48-hour observation at the ICU and will be shifted to a cabin after his condition approves.”

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik ordered the immediate arrest of the assailant involved in the firing incident. Patanik, accompanied by several of his cabinet colleagues, inquired the health condition of the Minister after visiting to the hospital in the morning. Expressing grave concern over the murderous assault on the Minister, he said that he would take stringent action against the culprits immediately.

DG of Police Prakash Mishra also visited the hospital to inquiry about the health condition of the Minister. While coming out of the hospital, the DGP said the investigation is on to nab the culprits. They have collected some clue in the case and the police will proceed after interrogating a detained person, he added.

Though the actual reason is yet to come up, sources alleged that the incident was the result of political rivalry between two groups. Recent killing of an aide of the Minister proves the altercation between the Maheswar group and the other group in the temple town, it added.