Chunawala was getting a pan made for him at Sharma Panwala on S V Road when the assailants fired at him from point-blank range. The bullet caught Chunawala between his eyes and killed him instantly. According to an eye-witness, Ahmed Baig, who is also a relative of the Chunawalas: ``Iqbal was emptying a gutkha packet in his mouth when a stranger tugged at his hand. Even as Iqbal turned back, he was shot on his forehead.''

As Chunawala slumped to the ground, a 60-year old Manibhai who was sitting nearby lunged towards the gunman and showered expletives on him. Presuming that the old man was a friend of Chunawala, the gunman fired a single round at him. The bullet caught Manibhai on his chest and he was thrown back by its impact.

The sound ofgun fire, in the meantime, attracted the attention of Chunawala's brothers - Rashid and Ilyas - who were standing across the road. They rushed the victims to the Cooper Hospital where they were declared deadbefore admission.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (zone-VII) K L Prasad: "Eyewitnesses said there were four assailants and they escaped in a rickshaw. They also fired several rounds in the air to scare the crowd. We have found three empty cartridges from the spot."

The assailants used a pistol to kill Chunawala and Mani, but fired from a revolver in the air, police investigations have revealed.

The stretch of S V Road between Andheri and Jogeshwari where the murders took place is a market for building material, construction hardware and plumbing fittings.

The Chunawala family owns three shops -- Resham Ceramics, Sun Ceramics and Granite-O-Tiles -- adjoining each other on this stretch. They also own a marble-cutting factory located nearby.

Surprisingly, though the shootout took place ona crowded street, Sub-inspector, Ashok Nekudkar of the D N Nagar police station had not found a single person who could describe the killers till late evening.

Chunawalas belong to a conservative Kutchi Memon family and allegedly have links with the Karachi-based ganglord Chhota Shakeel, a senior police officer said. Iqbal Chunawala was also believed to be an informant for one of the encounter specialists in the city police. The chain of shops that the family owns are also a favourite hangout of several bomb blasts accused who are on bail.

"By targeting a member of our community, the gangsters now want to convey a message that it could be our turn next," said a marble dealer.