Two assailants fire outside GPO in Mumbai, 55-year-old critical

Two assailants fired at a 55-year-old man, believed to be a diesel mafioso, outside the GPO in Fort around 3.30pm on Wednesday. Sayyed Ali Madar, alias Chand, a resident of Dongri, sustained a bullet injury on his head and is critical, the police said.

Chand was attacked when he stepped out for lunch and was near Panama hotel at P D’Mello road. “Two people came on a Pulsar, and the pillion shot a bullet from a firearm at point-blank range. The bullet went on to hit the right side of Chand’s head,” a police officer from the MRA Marg police station said. Chand was taken to St George’s hospital before being moved to Bombay hospital as his condition turned critical.

Chand has a scrap business. He also owns the Qamar guesthouse in South Mumbai, and runs a shipping firm near Panama hotel.    

“The attack took place while he was returning to work after lunch. Though witnesses claimed that they heard two gun shots, only one empty shell was recovered from the spot,” the officer said.

The police said the weapon could be a revolver. However, only a detailed ballistic report will confirm the weapon, after analysing the bullet.

Chand’s relatives and friends told the police that he did not receive any threats in the recent past. “He was arrested in a Cofeposa case in 2005-06 by unit 2 of the Mumbai police crime branch. There are also cases of customs infringement and essential commodities against him. The incident seems to be the result of a business rivalry. Chand had a long list of rivals. We would question all of them,” police sources said.

“We have launched a manhunt to trace the assailants and are investigating the case from all possible angles,” deputy commissioner of police, Zone I, Chhering Dorje, told DNA.