Mumbai : The ‘Film City’ at Goregaon is used to documenting reel life drama, but the real life drama that was enacted on its premises on Friday was no less than a still out of an action movie.
Two unidentified persons fired three bullets at a security contractor on the premises of the Film City, leaving him grievously injured.
The victim has been identified as Raju Shinde, the owner of a security agency at Film City. Two bullets hit him in the stomach and one hit him in the arm. He was immediately rushed to Lifeline Hospital in Malad and later shifted to Nanavati Hospital. He is now out of danger.”
Amitabh Bachchan, who was shooting on outdoor sets 20 meters away from the spot, turned a citizen reporter and tweeted, “Okay!! Shooting at Film City and a gang war shootout 20 feet from where we are…!!1 dead…cops all over…”
A few minutes later, he tweeted again, “Correction: In gang shoot out, where I was shooting in Film City, person shot at is NOT dead. He has been taken to hospital…”
According to Fetehsingh Patil, Additional Commissioner of Police of North Region, “The incident occurred at about 2 p.m. Onlookers who were present in the area immediately informed the police who rushed to the spot.”
The onlookers even chased the motorbike up to a distance, after which the riders abandoned the bike and fled on foot. In no time, the police had erected barriers all the way up to the Western Express Highway and at all the exit points.
The Aarey Colony Police have filed a case against two unidentified persons. The motorbike that the assailants were riding is in the custody of the police and the investigation is on.
Patil added, “We have traced the original owner of the motorbike, who had sold it sometime ago. Now, we are searching for its current owner. We have made some progress in the matter but cannot disclose all information since the investigation is still on.”
Shinde’s lawyer Sushan Kunjuraman told the Free Press Journal, “My client was attacked due to a business rivalry. We had learnt through reliable sources that his life is in danger and had filed three complaints at the Aarey Colony Police station in January and sought protection.”
Kunjuraman alleged that the police did not heed these complaints. Even after he filed a legal complaint in March, the police recorded Shinde’s statement, but allegedly did not take any action.
Kunjuraman informed the Free Press Journal that Shinde had undergone a surgery and is now out of danger. “When I meet him, we will decide on the future course of action.”
IANS ADDS: Among other things, Shinde also ran a cable television network, dabbled in construction work and supplied timber to film sets; he was into assorted social activities as well.
