Sanjay Barkal, a First Year Commerce student at MMK College in Bandra, had gone to his brother's bedroom to change his clothes in the latter's flat in Sejal Apartment on Veera Desai Road. Meanwhile, his brother Shankar (31) was busy in the parking lot with guests before his daughter Neha (8) cut her birthday cake.

When there was no sign of Sanjay, Shankar dispatched the watchman to fetch him. The watchman in turn asked Sanjay's stepmother to search for the young man. She found him in Shankar's bedroom fiddling with his elder brother's licensed .32 Colt revolver which went off resulting in his death, according to police inspector Mukund Kulkarni.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (D N Nagar Division) R D Shinde, under whose jurisdiction the incident took place, admitted that the case was `tricky'. The post-mortem reportexpected in a day or two should reveal more facts about the death, he added.

Sejal Apartment is in the same building in which bomb blast accused Salim Kurla and an associate were shot dead by members of the Chhota Rajan gang at Belle Vista Nursing Home on the ground floor last year.