Two unidentified persons were shot dead in an auto-rickshaw near Lanjipalli in Berhampur district of Odisha on Wednesday.
According to police sources, both the deceased as well as the assailants were travelling in the same auto-rickshaw from Chatrapur to Lanjipalli. The two deceased were shot from close range at around 8.30 a.m.. A bullet pierced head of one and another had bullet wounds on his chest. After shooting down the two, the three assailants escaped from the spot by snatching a bike from a passer-by. Two live bullets were seized from the pocket of one of the deceased. Several purses were also found in their possession, which hinted that they may be part of a gang of train robbers from outside Odisha. The person, whose bike was snatched away at gun point by the assailants, said the three escaping assailants were speaking in Hindi.
The police said that the auto driver said that a group of around nine persons had booked two auto-rickshaws from Chatrapur railway station to travel to Lanjipalli in Berhampur. Five persons were travelling in the auto in which the murders occurred.