Mumbai: Vijay Poojary from Kundapur killed in shootout
 
Rons Bantwal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai (DV)

Mumbai, Aug 1: A shootout in a hotel at Khar here on late Wednesday July 31 claimed the life of Vijay Pujary alias Bhatt (35) from Kundapur.

He was employed in Air India's cargo department in Sahar here. He was recently transferred to Pune. He got married some years ago and has a four-year-old son.

Sources said that Poojary had connections with the underworld. On Wednesday night, as usual, he had been to Sharada Bar and Restaurant at Khar with his friends, when, at around 11.50 pm, a gang allegedly led by a person identified as Rahul Sharma, barged into the hotel and opened fire at Vijay and his friends.

Poojary’s companions fired back at Sharma’s gang. Chaos and fights erupted in the bar. Other customers who were in the bar fled. One person was injured in the attack.

Poojary and Sharma have been known as rivals with several criminal cases lodged against both. It is said that though he was not too familiar with the locals, he shared a good rapport with people from Karnataka. About a year or two ago, he had caused damage to a shop owned by Rahul Sharma, and it locals said that Wednesday's attack might have been a revenge for this.

Poojary's body was shifted to J J Hospital. Local police have registered a case.