Tourism and Culture Minister 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 doctors’ 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 around 3.40 am, it added.
“Though the Minister’s condition is stable, it is difficult to say 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 assailants involved in the firing incident. Patanik, accompanied by several of his cabinet colleagues, enquired about 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 stringent action would be taken against the culprits soon.
DG of Police Prakash Mishra also visited the hospital. 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.