Pujari gang draws ’first’ blood

Gangster known in underworld for firing blind shots at targets, has bumped off two men at a builder's office for the first time

Pujari gang draws 'first' blood

Gangster known in underworld for firing blind shots at targets, has bumped off two men at a builder's office for the first time

In the underworld, gangster Ravi Pujari was akin to the boy who always cried wolf. No one took his threats seriously, neither his rivals nor his targets. Even his peers poked fun at Pujari for his toothless scaring tactics wherein his men would open fire at the targets but never kill them.

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Supervisor Yogesh Kude was shot at from point blank range. Cops inspect the scene of crime

But yesterday's twin murders, allegedly carried out by his aides, have surely given the toothless Pujari gang some teeth and an image makeover. Site engineer Somraj Devrasi and supervisor Yogesh Kude were shot from point blank range at an under construction building site in Amboli, Andheri (W).

According to the police, one of the immediate angles that investigations have thrown up suggests it to be a botched extortion case. Pujari's men had demanded Rs 25 crore from the builder, Sudharkar Shetty.

"Pujari was slowing gaining foothold in the western suburbs of the city. He had been ordering threat calls, but he only scared his targets. This is probably the first time that he has bumped off a target," said a senior police official involved with the investigations.

According to the police, two men barged into Sahana constructions in Amboli around 11.30 am, and threatened the security guard on duty.

"The criminals asked why their calls were being ignored, before pumping bullets into the two from point blank range," said Amitabh Gupta, additional commissioner of police (West region).

Underworld insiders say, Pujari will now rein terror in the builder community in the western suburbs and start extorting more money from his targets.

The police are also probing the possibility of a betting deal gone awry.

Three years ago, Pujari had targeted Sudharkar Shetty when his two suspected aides fired outside Deepa bar, owned by the builder, injuring a watchman in Vile Parle.

Rs 25 crore
Amount that Ravi Pujari had demanded from the builder

Vital clue
The two shooters, before fleeing the spot left behind an envelope. On opening it, police officials found Pujari's name and phone number scribbled on it. "We immediately called the number but it was switched off," said a police official.

Linked to Navi Mumbai shoot-out?
The police are drawing up the sketches of the accused and one of them seems to resemble a suspect of the
Navi Mumbai firing incident. A construction supervisor at a building site was injured in the incident.
Incidentally, the phone number, scribbled on both the envelopes, is the same.