Starter pistol shot sets off rumours of gangland firing
A shot from a starter pistol sparked off rumours of a gangland firing in Powai on Wednesday night. A 36-year-old chemical supplier had got into a fight with a youth who he had nearly hit with his car.
A shot from a starter pistol sparked off rumours of a gangland firing in Powai on Wednesday night. A 36-year-old chemical supplier had got into a fight with a youth who he had nearly hit with his car.
When residents of the youth’s locality surrounded him, he fired a round from a starter gun to disperse them, and this led to rumours of a gangland firing. The police rushed to the spot and took both the parties to the station.
They then let both go as neither wanted to pursue the case. No one was hurt and no vehicle damaged.
The ‘incident’ occurred at around 8 pm when Shekhar Puranik, 36, who supplies chemicals to school laboratories, was returning to his Goregaon residence in his Maruti Omni car from Vikhroli.
“As Puranik was driving on Aarey Road and passed the Morarji Nagar area, his car nudged a 19-year-old,” said Bajirao Bhosle, senior inspector, Powai police station. This led to an argument between Puranik and Mohamed Haneef Ansari, who made Puranik stop his vehicle. Puranik soon realised that Ansari was a local of the Sambhaji Nagar area and people from his locality had surrounded them.
Bhosle said: “Puranik grew nervous about being roughed up by them. He dashed towards his car and came back with a starter pistol.
He shot a round in the air and threatened anyone against coming near him.”
A starter pistol is an electric toy gun fired to mark the start of track and field races. It makes a loud sound when fired, said Powai police.
Soon policemen from the Morarji police chowky rushed to the spot and took both to Ansari and Puranic to the Powai police station.
Bhosle added: “Puranik had a valid licence for the gun. I think he carried it around for personal safety.” However, the police seized the starter gun. After hearing both sides, the police made a diary entry and let them go.