At around 10.40 pm, Puranik, who was on bandobast at Shivaji Park's C Ramchandra Chowk, entered the police jeep and shot himself in the temple with his .32 bore service revolver.

The noise of the gunfire drew the attention of other policemen on bandobast nearby, and when they rushed to the jeep, they found Puranik lying on the seat, with blood splattered all over the upholstery.

A closer observation of Puranik's body revealed that the bullet had entered from the left side and exited from the right, making a hole in his skull.Puranik was immediately rushed to the King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital, where he was admitted in the trauma care ward. He had lapsed into coma by then. He succumbed to his injuries at 9 am today.

Deputy commissioner of police (zone-IV) Ashok Dongre said, ``We have not been able tomake any breakthrough in ascertaining the cause of the suicide. But we're investigating.''

Sub-inspector Yashwant Sagwekar of Shivaji Park police station said: ``Puranik had resumed after a long sick leave and was posted on bandobast. We heard that of late, he had been disturbed and had been behaving abnormally. We might be able to make some headway in the case after we speak to his family.''

After he joined Mumbai police as a constable in 1968, Puranik was first promoted as Naik and then as head constable before he rose to the post of sub-inspector in 1981.

Senior police officers say economic or familial problems may have been the reason behind Puranik's suicide. Puranik is survived by his wife Lata, two college-going sons and two married daughters.