Baripada: Days after a 30 year-old man was critically injured after armed miscreants shot at him in an alleged robbery attempt on NH-18 in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district, police claimed to have cracked the case by arresting six persons in this connection. 

The persons nabbed were identified as Debendra Das (34) and Manas Giri (19) from Balasore, Narayan Behera (31) and Dilip Kumar Rao (55) from Ganjam, and Debabrata Sahu (26) and Shibashankar Barik (29) of Mayurbhanj. They were arrested following complaint by one Sangram Keshari Behera (30) of Kamta village in Kuliana. 

Police in an official release revealed that Debabrata, Dillip and Shibashankar had hatched the robbery plan. One of the accused Kuna Barik from Ganjam is still absconding. Efforts are on to track him at the earliest, they said.

On June 23 at around 11 am, the victim Shibananda Barik, a resident of Kamata village under Kuliana police limits, was travelling on his motorcycle along the highway when the crime took place. As per reports, Barik was heading towards Baripada after collecting Rs 8 lakh cash from Bangriposi, Budhamara and Kuliana liquor outlets when four bike-borne miscreants followed him. After chasing him for a distance, the attackers suddenly intercepted him near the Kuchei-Baiganbadia road and tried to snatch the cash bag. When Shibananda resisted, the accused opened fire at him, discharging around five rounds. The assailants then fled the scene.

Eyewitnesses claimed that at least two bullets struck Shibananda, injuring him in the head and thigh on the left side. Farmers working in the field nearby heard his screams and immediately rushed to his rescue, reportedly foiling the loot bid. On finding Shibananda in a pool of blood, they took him to PRM Medical College in Baripada. When his health deteriorated, Shibananda was later referred by doctors to SCB Medical College in Cuttack where he is currently undergoing treatment. 

Though the victim survived, the brazen gun attack in broad daylight had sparked public anger and concern on safety of people commuting on highways and isolated stretches.