He was shot at by two men when he was returning home on his bike.

Odisha Law Minister Maheswar Mohanty was injured Friday night after being shot at by unknown assailants in his home town Puri, a police official said. He is now recuperating in a hospital.

Two to three people fired at Mohanty at about 10 p.m. when he was returning home on his bike in Puri, 56 km from Bhubaneswar.

The minister sustained bullet injuries in one hand, Superintendent of Police Anup Kumar Sahoo told IANS.

Initially, he was taken to a hospital in the town but later shifted to a private institution in Bhubaneswar.

Police are making efforts to nab the assailants, Sahoo said. The reason why he was shot at has not been ascertained yet, he added.

Mohanty, 57, also holds the portfolios of tourism, culture, planning and coordination.

IANS