Two youths held over firing incident

The police has arrested two friends of a youth in connection with a case of firing near Bapane area on the Mumbai – Ahmedabad highway after preliminary investigation showed up initial claims of the firing being carried out by unknown men as fake.

According to the police sources, they were initially informed that Avi Patel (22) a resident of Surat along with his friend Digesh Mali was visiting the city to celebrate his birthday.

The police was told on that Monday night, Avi and Mali was returning to Surat on a motorcycle. While on their way to Surat, the duo stopped near Bapane area on the Mumbai – Ahmedabad highway to answer nature’s call.

After this, they said two unknown men on a motorcycle suddenly appeared on the scene and shot at Avi and fled the place. In the shootout, Avi sustained injuries in his stomach. He was shifted to a hospital in Kashimira area and his condition is said to be stable.

The investigation team of Valiv police station, however, told The Asian Age that preliminary inquiry had shown that the story narrated by the youths about the shootout was fake. The sources said the youth must have either been playing with a gun and had mistakenly fired at Avi or they must have intentionally shot him.

The police has booked two friends of Avi in the case, both of who are from Mumbai, and recovered a country-made pistol from them along with three live bullets. Their names are being withheld by the police as it is still probing their involvement in the incident. Officials are also searching for three more persons in connection with the case. Confirming this, a senior official said, “Now, we are believing that the youths were not on good terms and the firing incident was a result of their quarrel. Further investigation into the case is on.”