Pune: A man suffered a bullet injury, while his friend escaped unhurt when two motorcycle-borne men fired at them on Friday morning outside the Ghorpade Peth police chowkey, triggering panic in the area.Preliminary investigations suggest the attack was the fallout of an old rivalry. “The victim, Khwajauddin Shaikh (29) of Ganesh Peth, suffered a bullet injury to his back and was immediately shifted to a hospital. His condition is stable,” senior police inspector Shashikant Chavan of the Khadak police said.Chavan said the police arrested one of the two assailants, Sujal Sunil Pardeshi, from the spot. Three of his accomplices, Piyush Pardeshi (25), Sonu Pardeshi (27) and Nitesh Rikab (22) from Kasewadi, were arrested later. Piyush fired the bullets at Shaikh. “We are questioning them,” he said.The officer said the firing occurred around 11.30am when Shaikh, having a previous attempt-to-murder case against him, and his friend were on their way to a relative’s house. The accused were following him since morning. When the duo reached near the Ghorpade Peth police chowkey, the two assailants arrived on a motorcycle and opened fire.Piyush fired three rounds at Shaikh. One bullet struck Shaikh in the back, others missed him. The gunshots triggered panic in the area. Pedestrians and motorists scrambled for safety.“Police personnel from the nearby outpost and the Khadak police station immediately rushed to the spot. One of the accused, Sujal, was arrested from the spot. The others were taken into custody later,” senior police inspector Chavan said.Chavan said, “The attackers are believed to be members of the Pardeshi gang from the Kashewadi area. So far, the involvement of five people has come to light. We are scanning CCTV footage from the area as part of the investigation.”Preliminary investigations indicate the attack stemmed from an old rivalry. “Shaikh’s uncle had allegedly murdered the father of one of the accused in 2005. The firing is suspected to have been an act of revenge,” Chavan said.
