CM Shinde's hometown Thane rocked by 2 shootings

Thane: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's hometown Thane was rocked by two shooting incidents which left two persons injured, including one critically, police said here on Friday.

In the first incident, property dealer Ashwin Gamle was shot at and sustained bullet injuries at Ghantali Road around 5.30 a.m.

Heavily bleeding with at least one bullet piercing through his body, Gamle was rushed to the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital in Kalwa while the Naupada police are probing the matter.

The second shootout took place near the Mama Bhanja hills locality of Vartak Nagar around dawn, in which local ruffian Kala Ganya was injured.

At least one bullet found its mark on Ganya's chest and he has been rushed to the Vedanta Hospital where his condition is described as "critical". The Vartak Nagar police has launched a probe.

Taking serious note, the Thane police and Crime Branch have formed multiple teams to investigate and track the shooters involved in both the incidents, said top officials.

Though the exact motives are being ascertained, preliminary enquiries point to business rivalries or previous enmities culminating in the firing incidents in open public places in Thane city, where Shinde's private residence is located and is also his political stronghold.