Car thief shot dead

May 12: The police shot dead one of two men who stole a car while the other managed to escape in an encounter at Goregaon around 4.30 this afternoon.

Mani Pillai Harijan, 34, and his associate held up Prakash Raut, 29, at gun-point on the Oshiwara bridge and drove away with his white Maruti car MH-01 L 185. Raut began shouting for help and caught the attention of police officers passing by in two Gypsies. They quickly picked up the trail of the thieves and pursued them.

For some time, Pillai and his crony did not know that they were being followed. Then, as they realised that the police vehicles were pursuing them, the two immediately diverted the car into the nearby Prem Nagar slums in Goregaon. But the police soon intercepted them and forced them to stop. The two were ordered to surrender. Instead, they opened fire at the police. The police team, comprising sub-inspectors Nitin Vichare and Shivaji Thackeray and assistant inspector Borade fired back, hitting Pillai six times in the chest and head. His associate fled into the slums and vanished.