BJP leader shot at in Baroda

VADODARA: Tension gripped the city after BJP leader and former VHP activist Neeraj Jain was shot at in the evening at the crowded Nyay Mandir area here on Tuesday.
Jain was admitted to SSG Hospital with a wound in his jaw, and is reported to be out of danger.
According to police sources, the incident took place when Jain was leaving the court with two persons.He had taken his seat in the car and was about to start it when the incident took place. The city police issued a red alert after the incident.
Jain, an advocate by profession and convenor of city BJP''s legal cell, was leaving the court sometime between 5.15 pm and 5.30 pm. He was accompanied by Bajrang Dal activist Ketan Thakkar from Surat and an assistant.
Speaking to TNN Thakkar, a friend of Jain, said he had come to meet Jain to finalise the deal regarding a vehicle. "I met him at the Nyay Mandir and we were leaving together. Jain had parked his vehicle near a petrol pump when we boarded it. I was sitting besides him while he was to drive the car," Thakkar said.
According to Thakkar, no sooner did Jain sit in the car two unidentified men riding a motorcycle fired at him from the window of the car. "There was a lot of commotion around, and I realised that he had been shot only after he shrieked with pain," he said.
Jain was rushed to SSG Hospital immediately. Doctors attending on Jain said there was one sharp wound on his jaw. There was some swelling on his neck too. The doctors said they had not seen any exit wound of the bullet on Jain.
Sources in the hospital said Jain''s condition was stable and, apparently, the bullet had not caused any major injury. However, they added that things would become only clear when X-ray reports were available. "Only then can we confirm whether the bullet is inside and what kind of damage it caused. He may have to be operated after the reports are available," said a doctor.
Meanwhile, the city police has intensified vehicle checking in the city to locate the accused. Joint Commissioner of Police P C Thakur said all exit points in the city had been sealed in an attempt to trace the culprit. He added that the investigations had been handed over to the detection of crime branch.
Raopura police inspector B I Patel said the kind of weapon used in the incident would be identified only after the bullet was recovered and examined by forensic experts. Police sources, nonetheless, said that the weapon could be small and one that was effective only from a close range. They added that the culprit might have been laid in wait of Jain to attack him.