Puri, Jul 14: In a shocking incident near the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, an auto-rickshaw driver was brutally attacked by miscreants after allegedly refusing to pay extortion money.

The incident occurred near Satyanarayan Temple, close to the Dolabedi auto stand.

The victim, identified as Raghunath Rout from Jagannath Basti, sustained severe injuries to his head and hands after being assaulted with deadly weapons. He was initially rushed to Puri District Headquarters Hospital and later shifted to SCB Medical College in Cuttack due to the critical nature of his injuries.

According to sources, a group of miscreants from Gokha Sahi had demanded ₹5 lakh from Raghunath to allow him to park his auto at the Dolabedi stand. When he refused to pay the extortion amount, the attackers allegedly launched a violent assault on him.

Eyewitnesses reported that the attack was sudden and vicious, leaving the auto driver bleeding profusely. Locals immediately informed the police, and a team from Singhadwara Police Station along with the City DSP reached the spot to begin an investigation.

However, by the time police arrived, the accused had fled the scene. Authorities have launched a manhunt to nab the culprits and are reviewing CCTV footage from the area.

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