A businessman was shot dead while his partner was injured in a firing by an unidentified man outside their office premises at Sahar cargo complex in Vile Parle on Saturday night.

According to the police, Suresh Pillay (37) and his partner Gokuldas Narvekar (35) along with another man left their office at 10.30 pm near Sahar cargo complex. Before they could enter their White Maruti van parked in the office premises, a youth fired at the duo from close range from a 9 mm pistol. Pillay, who received 14 bullet injuries was declared dead before admission to the Cooper hospital. Narvekar sustained a bullet injury on the right thigh and admitted to private nursing home at Vile Parle, the police said. Though the police say that the motive behind the shootout is yet to be ascertained, it is suspected that the killing could be a fallout of gang rivalry.

Earlier, Pillay's elder brother Rajan was shot dead on May 8 near the cargo complex. Rajan's friend Arvind Saxena was seriouslyinjured in the shootout. Police are still clueless about the earlier murder. A case of murder and attempt to murder has been registered. Investigations are on.

45-yr-old held for raping minor

A 45-year-old rickshaw driver was arrested for raping a three-year-old at Sahar this afternoon.

The accused, Inderpal Ravindra Yadav, a resident of Sanjay Nagar, Leela Wadi, took the girl staying in the neighbourhood out on the pretext of giving her toffees and raped her. The victim in a state of shock has been admitted to a nearby hospital.

Five gangsters arrested

Five members of Chhota Shakeel gang who were planning to rob a shop were held by the Worli police on Saturday. The police said on September 22, 1998, Sunil Vasant Jathar (20) was arrested by the Worli Police. Jathar revealed that he along with his associates had planned to loot Century Wines at Worli. Jathar also disclosed the whereabouts of his associates and on September 26, the police raided a hutment at Mariamma Nagar and arrestedRizwan Malik (18), Suresh Kothari (25), Giriraj Bandal (22) and Sachin Nagare (28). The police have recovered an imported revolver, nine cartridges and one chopper from the accused.

Youth's headless body found

In the third incident in one week, the headless body of a 25-year-old man was found in a swamp behind Murdha village on Uttan Road in Bhayander (W) on Sunday. Police inspector P B Niphade said the body was found in a mutilated state and naked.