The victim, Bhaskar Kachare, has reportedly claimed that he had an altercation with these gangsters five days ago and that he suspects they had ordered the attack on him. Senior officers said the police were verifying the officer’s claims.

The incident took place near the Rapid Action Force (RAF) camp in Taloja at around 6 pm on Sunday. The officer was headed towards Taloja with his friend Anwar Sheikh in a Maruti Swift when the assailants opened fire on the car he was traveling in. Security was subsequently tightened and police check-points set up across the city to nab the accused, who are still on the run.

Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner A K Sharma said Kachare has told the police that he suspected he was targeted after the altercation.

“Satre said he had an argument with some persons lodged inside the jail five days ago. The persons he has named are gangsters. He suspects that a hit was ordered against him as a result of the argument. We are verifying his claims and a probe is on. We will question the persons he has named,” said Sharma. “The two assailants fled after the firing. We have got some CCTV footage of them but it is of poor quality,” he added.

The police said Kachare underwent an operation at MGM Hospital in Kamothe on Sunday night .