Journalist Ketan Tirodkar was a marked man ever since three key witnesses in the encounters inquiry into the Sada Pawle-Vijay Tandel killings turned hostile in March-April this year. The Gawli gang believed Tirodkar was instrumental in influencing the witnesses, Pawle's brother Anant, his wife Anita and sister Hausabai Tawde, to change their testimony in favour of the police.

At around 2.30 am today, Thane rural police in collusion with Tirodkar laid a trap for the hitmen near Bharathi Park building, where the journalist resides. As Tirodkar and Senior Inspector Nilesh Sawant walked towards the building, they were approached by the hitmen, who walked straight into the trap.

The police squad lying in wait asked the trio to identify themselves, when the latter opened fire at Sawant and Tirodkar.Superintendent of Police Ashok Kampte returned fire, killing the gangsters, who have been identified as Mahendra Salvi, Sailesh Mahajan and Rajendra Yadav.

While Tirodkar injured his right arm in the crossfire, Sawant's bullet-proof vest spared him from injury. Three foreign-made revolvers and 25 live rounds were recovered from the hitmen.

Tirodkar shifted to Bharthi Park building at Mira Road a fortnight ago after the Gawli gang began to turn the screws on him. The building is a stone's throw from the newly commissioned Beverly Hill's police station, which he thought would deter the death threats.

In fact, Tirodkar moved to Thane district after he failed to secure protection from the Mumbai Crime Branch. He claimed to have been threatened on numerous occasions by the Gawli gang, especially Mahendra Salvi.While residents of the middle-class Beverly Hill neighbourhood on the Mira-Bhayander Road are yet to come to terms with the early morning shootout, many say they were woken up by the burst ofgunfire.

A pool of blood near Tirodkar's building is a chilling reminder of his near-death experience today. The journalist has covered the crime beat for The Afternoon Despatch and Courier apart from contributing to other newspapers.