HELD FOR ATTEMPT TO MURDER: Pravin Mahajan, who shot and critically wounded his brother Pramod Mahajan, being taken to the JJ Hospital in Mumbai for a medical check-up. -- PHOTO: PTI

MUMBAI: Bharatiya Janata Party general secretary Pramod Mahajan was shot on Saturday morning by his younger brother, Pravin, at his house in Worli. He was rushed to the Hinduja Hospital and remained in a critical condition through the day.

Shortly after the incident, Pravin Mahajan surrendered himself at the Worli Police Station.

He has been arrested for offences under Section 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code.

According to doctors at the Hinduja Hospital, Mr. Mahajan received three bullet injuries and lost a great deal of blood by the time he was hospitalised. He was immediately attended to by a team of doctors and operated on. Authorities said he had to be given over 20 bottles of blood.

Pramod Mahajan.

The Director, Administration, of the P.D. Hinduja National Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Anupam Verma, in an official press release said Mr. Mahajan's condition was "critical."

He was hospitalised "with three bullet injuries in the lower chest and abdomen. Bullets have gone through the right lower part of the chest, through the diaphragm.

They damaged the right side of the liver, the head of the pancreas and duodenum and the Inferior Vina Cava (IVC), which is the main vein in the abdomen. It also injured the small intestines. There was massive blood loss."

The surgery lasted four hours. While the doctors succeeded in stemming the bleeding, blood was still oozing from the extensively damaged liver. Mr. Mahajan was put on "ventilatory support." Doctors said the bullets were still lodged in his body and a decision to conduct further surgeries could not be taken until the patient stabilised.

Additional Commissioner of Police Subodh Jaiswal confirmed that Pravin Mahajan was arrested and that he would be produced in court on Sunday. He said that the police were investigating the matter.

Nandkumar Rajurkar, Pravin Mahajan's lawyer, told the media that Pravin was not aware of his action. He said Pravin was not in a condition to talk and claimed that he was mentally unstable.

However, Mumbai Police Commissioner A. N. Roy told The Hindu that Pravin Mahajan's mental condition appeared to be stable. He said: "According to information gathered by the police, Pravin told them that he was not treated well by his elder brother.

He had tried meeting him for a long time and was refused several times by Pramod Mahajan and his assistants. He felt humiliated and held a grudge."

Pravin Mahajan.

Later in the day, the police took Pravin Mahajan to the J.J. Hospital for a routine medical check-up, before being sent to the lock-up.

Little is known about Pravin Mahajan, except that he is in the construction business and lives in Thane.

He is married with two children. He came to Pramod Mahajan's residence early this morning and the revolver used in the incident was a licensed weapon.

Pramod Mahajan's other brother, Prakash Mahajan, who lives in Aurangabad, has denied that there was a property dispute between the brothers.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail