In a new, smartphone thief fires three bullets

In a first of its kind, shocking incident, a thief who was eyeing a smartphone fired three bullets for the steal. The incident occurred on Tuesday in Bhiwandi.

The victim, Kamtyaprasad Shahu (34) was shot at with country made revolver, by motorcycle bound three unidentified people in Bhiwandi on Monday night. Shahu works in a powerloom unit and is a resident of Bhadwad village in Bhiwandi.

The incident took place at Tare compound in Sonale village, Bhiwandi when Shahu left the working unit and was headed towards Bhiwandi highway on way to meet his friend.

Mahesh Sagade, the Assistant Police Inspector, Bhiwandi Taluka police station said, "Three robbers rode on a bike and obstructed Shahu's way and demanded he hand over his cellphone to them. They threatened him with dire consequences, but he refused to give it, following which they manhandled him. In this scuffle, one of them fired three rounds at him as two bullets injured his legs, after the victim refused to hand over his smart phone."

Police said he collapsed on the road and a passerby informed his relatives when they saw Shahu fallen in a pool of blood. Relatives rushed to the spot and took him to Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital, where the doctor referred him to the Civil hospital in Thane.

Bhiwandi Taluka police have registered a case against three unidentified mobile phone snatchers under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.

"We are investigating the matter and are trying to get the CCTV footage of the nearby areas where the incident occurred," said Sagade.