According to the police, Natwarlal Panchal, a resident of Gujarat Housing Board's quarters on Ajwa Road in Vadodara, was riding pillion on a motorcycle driven by Sanjay Patel when they were stopped by three miscreants, who toppled a handcart in their path in front of Jain Oil Depot.

The duo were on their way to deposit Rs 2.50 lakh in cash in bank when they were stopped. Not suspecting the motive, they asked the accused to remove the handcart. But before they could react one of the accused, about 35-years-old and carrying a firearm, asked them to alight and fired at Patel and injured him.

When Patel fell down from the bike, the two other miscreants, aged between 25 and 30, tried to escape with the bag containing money.

However, the sound of firing alerted people in the vicinity. Anticipating the mood the crowd, the accused fired two more rounds in the air before disappearing through a nearby creek, but in the process lost the bag.

Patel who was admitted to Mahavir Hospital was discharged on Sunday and Udhna Police Inspector V V Rabari said the bullet had only scraped past him.

Rabari told Express Newsline that the police had recovered the footwears worn by miscreants, who abandoned them before jumping over a 15-feet wall. Sniffer dogs led the police near the old petrol pump, from where they are believed to escaped in some vehicle.

Rabari said many people had seen the miscreants and the police would make their sketches after getting inputs from the victims as well. The miscreants knew the victims' routine, Rabari said, adding that this was the first incident of its kind in the last couple of years and said the police were not ruling out involvement of any organised gang.

Since the cash was safe, the victims delayed lodging a complaint, which robbed the police of vital time, Rabari claimed adding that plain-clothed policemen had made discreet inquiries in the area and were hopeful of nabbing the miscreants soon.