Keonjhar Congress MLA Dhanurjay Sidhu, who was shot at by unidentified assailants near the mining town of Barbil yesterday night, has been operated upon and is stated to be in a stable condition.
Sidhu was first rushed to the government hospital at Barbil and later shifted to Tisco hospital at Joda where he was operated upon by three surgeons summoned from Keonjhar and Champua, officials said In Orissa.
The surgeons removed two of the three bullets from the lower abdomen in an operation that took over four hours, while the third was still lodged in his thigh, doctors said adding his condition was stable.
Police said Congress leader may be airlifted to Bhubaneswar for better treatment.
Supporters of the MLA from Champua (ST) Assembly constituency have, meanwhile, called a 12-hour bandh in Barbil and Joda towns today in protest against the attack.
Sidhu was travelling in his vehicle when some motorcycle- borne assailants sprayed bullets at the car near Bhadrasahi Chhak, about 6 km from Barbil town.
Sidhu got out of the car and tried to run into a nearby hotel when he was shot at and hit in the lower abdomen and thigh.
{{/usCountry}}Sidhu got out of the car and tried to run into a nearby hotel when he was shot at and hit in the lower abdomen and thigh.
{{/usCountry}}A newly-elected Sarpanch accompanying the MLA from Champua (ST) Assembly constituency also suffered minor injuries in the attack.
District Collector Bipin Bihari Mohapatra and Superintendent of Police Ghanshyam Upadhyay visited site of the shooting and the hospital.