Ex-MLA’s brother shot at,assailant hit too

The brother of former MLA Bhavan Bharwad was shot at from point blank range by one Naresh Vaniya here on Friday. Later,Bharwad’s men shot Vaniya near Naranpura area in the city. The police have said no one has been arrested and that the shootout followed an old rivalry. Both men are being treated at the V S Hospital where Vaniya’s condition is reportedly critical.

The victim,Vitthal Bharwad,a resident of Nava Wadaj,and Naresh Vaniya of Chamundanagar in Vejalpur,were at loggerheads over a plot near Khodiyarnagar. According to the police,Bharwad,along with one Ashok Patel and Kamlesh Parmar,used to work as a land agent in Khodiyarnagar village and its suburbs. Two years ago,Patel and Parmar had a tiff,after which the former had lodged a complaint against the latter,Bharwad and a few others,alleging that they had attacked him.

The police further said that on Friday,Vaniya shot Bharwad with two country-made pistols. Immediately,seven other people,who were sitting with Bharwad,overpowered the assailant,snatched his weapons,and shot him twice. Investigating Officer,Inspector R T Gohil said that Vaniya was angry at Bharwad as he had allegedly supported pimps,who had been forcing Vaniya’s wife to return to flesh trade. “Vaniya’s wife is a former sex worker. The pimps had picked up a fight with Vaniya when he opposed them. They had then reportedly contacted Bharwad to settle the issue with Vaniya,” Gohil added.