Dhenkanal: A farmhouse owner was allegedly shot dead by unidentified assailants at Phasigaon under Sadar police limits in Odisha's Dhenkanal district, late last night. The deceased was identified as Gobinda Chandra Nayak.

As per reports, the attack took place around 4 AM when the miscreants forcibly entered the farmhouse and opened fire at Gobinda while he was sleeping there to safeguard crops. The attackers fled immediately after the shooting.

Hearing the gunshots, Gobinda’s elder brother, who was also present in the farmhouse, rushed to the spot and found him lying in a pool of blood.

Gobinda was rescued by his family members and rushed to the Dhenkanal district headquarters hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

Police have started an investigation into the matter. Efforts were on by the cops to identify and apprehend the attackers. The reason behind the firing was yet to be ascertained.