Mumbai, May 3 (IANS) A Mumbai police inspector who was shot and critically injured by his junior colleague on Saturday night, died from his bullet injuries here on Sunday, an official said.
Vilas Joshi (53), a senior inspector at Vakola police station in Santacruz East suburb of Mumbai, was fired upon by Assistant Sub-Inspector Dilip Shirke (55) with his service revolver, following a brawl over absenteeism.
The last rites of Joshi shall be performed in the afternoon in a south Mumbai crematorium.
Joshi suffered three bullet injuries in the back and abdomen.
Shirke also fired at Joshi’s orderly Babasaheb Aher in the thigh. He is reported to be out of danger now.
Before other policemen could react, Shirke turned the gun on himself and shot. He was pronounced dead before he could be admitted to a hospital.
Joshi was rushed to Lilavati Hospital in Bandra late Saturday night with the bullet injuries in the abdomen, knee and hand. But he died early Sunday, official police spokesperson DCP Dhananjay Kulkarni told IANS on Sunday.
The sensational shooting, which has shaken the police force, occurred around 8.45 p.m. on Saturday. It is being investigated by the crime branch.
Described as a short-tempered person by his colleagues, Shirke lived in the Santacruz Police Colony and is survived by his wife and two children.
Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria, Additional Commissioner of Police K.M.M. Prasanna and other top officials are directing the Crime Branch investigation into the case.
Maria said the provocation is believed to be Joshi’s anger at Shirke’s absence form work on Friday for night duty and the subsequent three diary entries made against him.
When Shirke arrived at the police station and saw the diary entries, he turned furious and blamed the night officer in-charge for harassing him. He also accused some seniors of harassing him.
Around 8.45 p.m., Shirke complained to Joshi about the matter. But Joshi justified the diary entries against him for absenteeism.
A heated argument ensued between the two, and in a fit of rage, Shirke removed his service revolver and pumped three bullets into Joshi, and another into orderly Aher.
Before other policemen around in the room could react, Shirke turned the gun and shot himself twice at point blank range. He was declared dead before he could be admitted to a hospital.