Mumbai: 

BRAVE: Suman Acharya, the daughter-in-law of Shreedar Acharya, saw the gunman at their bungalow gate, raised an alarm.PIC/BAKULESH TRIVEDI

After an attempted shootout at the Borivli residence of jeweller Shreedar Acharya (60) at 10 am yesterday, his family appeared to be quite calm. Shreedar's daughter-in-law Suman, who was the first to notice a person aiming a gun at the family through their bungalow's gate, told MiD DAY, "I can't reveal much, as we haven't really spoken about it as a family. I saw the gunman at our gate and raised an alarm. We have security and guard dogs."

She added, "We are not afraid at all. There may be another attack. Who knows?"

Desi revolver

Rajendra Thakkar, who lives opposite the Acharyas' bungalow Shrinivas, spotted the two men running from his second floor flat. He also saw them fire the gun a distance away to frighten away bystanders. "I heard a sound like the bursting of a cracker, after which I saw a small revolver in the left hand of one of the boys. The revolver seemed to be a desi one. The boys should not be more than 30 years old," Thakkar said.  

"Someone called me saying that they saw two men with revolvers changing their clothes in a small lane about five minutes from the bungalow. They left their clothes behind and fled," added Thakkar.

The incident took place when Shreedar was about to get into his car along with his three sons Amit, Arun and Ajay, which they do daily to go to their jewellery shop Shrinivas Ornaments and Jewellers at Borivli (E). Suman and her three-year-old daughter were accompanying them. "The men are suspected to be gangster Hemant Pujari's men, as Shreedar repeatedly received extortion calls from Pujari between October 2005 and January 2006," informed Inspector Ramdas Sarak of Borivli police station. The Crime Branch is looking into the case.