Rourkela: A panchayat samiti member from Bargarh district was allegedly shot dead late Thursday night with his blood-soaked body found inside his car in neighbouring Subarnapur district on Friday morning. Police have started a probe with monetary and land dispute angles emerging as possible motives.The deceased was identified as Achyutananda Nayak (40) of Kevad village in Bargarh district. He represented Agalpur panchayat in Barpali block as a panchayat samiti member.Locals spotted Nayak’s body inside his car on Sinajori-Kebat Canal Road under Dunguripali police station limits and alerted the police.Senior police officers, including Subarnapur SP Narayan Nayak and Bargarh SP Rabindra Nath Satapathy, visited the crime scene and supervised the investigation. A dog squad and scientific team were pressed into service. During the examination of the vehicle, forensic experts recovered two empty cartridges, which were seized as evidence.Preliminary investigation suggests Nayak was shot dead at the spot on Thursday night, around 5 km from his residence. Police seized the body and vehicle and sent the body for post-mortem examination.Family members lodged an FIR at Dunguripali police station. “A murder case has been registered and investigation is underway to identify and arrest those involved in the crime,” said S N Pradhan, inspector-in-charge of Dunguripali police station.According to Nayak’s father, Sabhapati Nayak, a priest at a Shani temple in Subarnapur district, his son had left home on Thursday night after receiving repeated phone calls from a person who allegedly asked him to collect Rs 10,000.“At around 8 pm, someone called him and asked him to come and collect Rs 10,000. While we were having dinner, he told me he was leaving and then drove away. I don’t know who the caller was, but the person repeatedly asked him to come quickly,” Sabhapati told reporters.He alleged that his son may have been killed over a money-related or land dispute and demanded strict punishment for those responsible.Sources said Achyutananda, apart from his role as an elected representative, also assisted his father in performing rituals at the Shani temple in Subarnapur district. Police are examining his recent phone records and financial dealings as part of the investigation.