Ulhasnagar (Maharashtra), Jan 10 (IANS): At least three shop staff, including the owner, were injured when a gang of four opened fire in a daring daylight heist at a jewellery shop in Ambernath town in Thane district on Sunday afternoon, police said.

The four persons, who came on two motorcycles, looted the prominent jewellery shop, decamping with 250 gms of gold articles worth around Rs 13 lakh.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Prashant Mohite said that the incident occurred around 1.45 p.m. when the four entered the shop and engaged the sales staff in small talk and asked to be shown some jewellery for purchase.

Suddenly, they whipped out a revolver and grabbed the jewellery, and when the shop owner and his staffers attempted to stop them, they indiscriminately fired seven rounds and assaulted them with choppers.

Taking serious note of the robbery, the police have formed several probe teams, enforced road blocks in and around the district and launched a massive manhunt to nab the culprits, Mohite told media persons.

The victims have been identified as Laxman Singh, 30, the shop owner who sustained bullet injuries and his shop staffers Vasan Singh, 26 and Bhairav Singh, 25, who suffered severe chopper wounds.

The DCP said that the injured were rushed to the Ulhasnagar Central Hospital for treatment where their condition was described as 'stable' this evening.