quot;We were bystandersquot;

8220;Just when I was about to leave for home, an SRP van came from the direction of Chembur. A jawan armed with a rifle climbed down from the police vehicle and from the Eastern Express Highway began firing in the direction of Ramabai Nagar colony,8221; Hire stated.

In the firing, his acquaintance Vilas Dodke, who was standing nearby,was injured. A frightened Hire ran towards the fish market. Just when he stood at the market to look back at Dodke, a bullet hit his right arm.

The second witness Gaikwad said during the cross-examination by Pradhan that he was answering nature8217;s call at around 7.30 am, when he heard some announcements being made near Dr Ambedkar8217;s bust. Just as he turned towards the D B Pawar chowk, he heard some cracker-like sound; a bullet struck his forehead and he fell down.

Gaikwad said he managed to get up and slowly walk towards his house. He was later taken to Rajawadi Hospital, where he was admitted to extract the bullet from his body. In reply to a question by Mumbai police counsel Ujjwal Nikams, Gaikwad said he did not go near the bust to hear the speeches, since the tone of the announcements indicated that the crowd was very agitated.