‘Pujari aide’ fires at hotel manager

Mumbai: A masked man claiming to be a member of Suresh Pujari’s gang shot the manager of a Nalasopara-based hotel, Galaxy, around 10 am on Sunday.

The shooter had left behind a handwritten note with ‘Suresh Pujari’ scribbled on it before fleeing with a motorcycle-borne accomplice who was waiting outside the hotel, according to the police. The shooter’s bullet hit the manager, Dilip Kumar Verma (27), below his neck, after which the latter was rushed to a private hospital in Mira Road where he underwent surgery. The police suspects that the gang targeted Mr Verma on suspicions that he was reporting on its activities to the police.    

Mr Verma had six months ago received threats from the gang. On complaining to the police, the manager was given security, but it was later withdrawn.

Inspector Ravindra Badgujar of the Nalasopara police station, who is probing the firing incident,said, “Verma had received threats from Pujari’s gang and he had lodged a complaint in the police station regarding the same.” Sources said that Pujari had his doubts about Verma slipping information to the police.

The Nalasopara police has registered a case against two unknown persons and booked them for attempt to murder under Section 307 of the Indian Penal Code.