Forty-year-old Mahadeo Khandekar, shakha pramukh of unit no 148 was shot dead by two unidentified assailants outside the shakha office at Kasturba street at Borivli (east) on Thursday night. Another Sena activist, Raju Nair, sustained bullet injuries in his leg and is reported to be out of danger.

According to the police, Khandekar was involved in construction and acquisition of new galas below the Sumedh Nagar bridge area. With this project he made enemies of quite a few of his partymen. Sensing more trouble, he had confided with his brother Prakash Khandekar about some of his partymen who posed danger to his life. Prakash in his statement to the police had shared the information given by his late brother.

The police are also looking into the possible involvement of gangster Chhota Shakeel in the killing.Intelligence reports had alerted the police about the Karachi-based gangster's plan to foment communal clashes before Shiv Jayanti on Saturday.

However, the senior police officers refused to give details. When contacted Additional commissioner of police (north-west) Rakesh Maria said, ``We are looking into all possibilities.'' The police have not made any arrests so far and have made the identikit of the shooters.

The police has launched a massive manhunt for the assailants and further investigations are on.