A builder was shot at by unidentified assailants at the staircase leading to his office in a commercial complex in Shivajinagar on Monday. The police are yet to cite any motive, but officials suspect the incident was fall-out of a land dispute.
The incident took place around 12.30 pm when Nikhil Ramchandra Rane (42) was heading for his office. As Rane climbed the stairs of his office located on the second floor of Anant Chamber, unidentified assailants shot him in the back, injuring him seriously.
Hearing the commotion, people from various offices in the complex came rushing to the site. Rane was taken to a nearby hospital where he is undergoing treatment, police said. Rane’s father Ramchandra Rane, an advocate, and brother Sunil have office on the first floor of the same building .
Top cops from the city immediately rushed to the spot. Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Sangramsingh Nishandar, police Inspectors Kishore Jadhav and Ram Pathare visited the spot for investigations. A dog squad was also pressed into service.
“Three teams of Crime Branch are working on the case. Other than a land deal in Aundh-Pashan area, we are investigating other deals and business contacts of Rane,” said Nishandar.
Manoj Shah, a share broker who owns an office on the third floor of the building, said, “I was in my office when the incident occurred. We all heard a big noise. We rushed out and found that Nikhil has been shot at. The Ranes are our family friends and are known to be non-controversial.”
–Agencies