Priest shot at in Puri mutt

BHUBANESWAR: A 62-year-old priest of an Ashram near Puri had a close shave when unidentified miscreants opened fire at him late Tuesday night. The incident occurred when the baba, Gopal Chandra Das, was asleep at the Shanti Ananda Ashram at Karamala, about 90 km from here, police said.
Puri Sadar DSP, Madhab Sahoo, said miscreants opened fire at him from a country pistol."They targeted the priest by standing near the window of his room. While some pellets hit him directly, others ricocheted off the wall and pierced his body," Sahoo said.
The baba was first rushed to Puri district hospital and later shifted to the SCB medical college and hospital in Cuttack. Doctors described his condition stable,.
The Ashram's disciples said they woke up after hearing gunshots and raised an alarm. "He was groaning in pain. The miscreants fled before we could trace them," said Debananda Das, a disciple of the baba.
Police were yet to ascertain the motive behind the murderous attack and had not arrested anyone till the filing of this report. Some boarders at the ashram said they had been receiving threats from local goons to pay them extortion money, sources said.
"We also suspect it to be the fallout of some old enmity. However, the ashram inhabitants have not mentioned names of any suspects in the FIR," Sahoo said, adding investigations are on.
That seers of mutts and temples in Puri are on the hit list of goons is no secret, if the recent attacks on them are any indication. Ramacharan Dasji Maharaj, the seer of Mauni Baba mutt in Puri was hacked to death in June 2009 when he denied to pay extortion money to thugs. Four Mahantas were injured after being attacked by anti-socials in 2006 and two were attacked in 2007. Tussle between Mahantas and rowdies is a perennial problem in Puri that is home to around 120 mutts. Almost all the mutts are in the clutches of anti-social elements.