Mumbai: A 35-year-old history sheeter was shot dead by his rival at Sharada restaurant and bar in Khar (East) on Wednesday when he was drinking with his friends.Vijay Poojary alias Vijay Batta was drinking with his three friends Chandan Singh, Lokesh Kothari and Kamlesh.
Around 11.30pm, the accused, Rahul Sharma, (35) and his five friends barged into the bar.Sharma fired two rounds at Poojary. One bullet hit his chest and the other hit Singh’s hand.Sharmas aides were carrying a chopper and they too assaulted Pujari and fled.
“One bullet hit Poojary chest while another brushed past his shoulder and hit his friends hand. Poojary sustained injuries to his chest, neck and abdomen,” said Anil Desai, police inspector of Nirmal Nagar police station.
“The hotel staff rushed Poojary to civic-run VN Desai Hospital in Santa Cruz where he was declared dead before admission,” said the officer.
Sharma had gone out of town for a few days and when he returned to the city two days ago, he got a tip-off that Poojary would be with friends at Sharada.
The Nirmal Nagar police have registered a case of murder against the accused and are looking for them. Sharmas four aides who were with him are Deepak Jaikisan Sharma, Ajay Pandit, Viren Thakur, Subhash Shukla and the fifths identity is unknown.
The police said the motive behind the murder was enmity between Pujari and Sharma.
Sharma, who lives near Golibar Road in Khar (East), has more than 10 cases registered against him at Nirmal Nagar police station. Sharma is also wanted in an attempt to murder case for the past few months.
“Poojary was working with a private airlines in the cargo unit and had several criminal cases against him,” said Desai.
“The victim and the accused had been involved in criminal activities for the past several years and they were fighting to establish dominion in the area,” said another officer.
The police said that in 2010, Sharma and Poojary had a violent fight.Since then, both had been looking for an opportunity to get even.
He basically hails from Kundapur and was living in Mumbai with his mother, wife and a four year old son.His body was later shifted to J J Hospital.
