Pramod flew to Mumbai after a phone call by Pravin

Mumbai, Apr 22: BJP general secretary Pramod Mahajan, who was shot at and wounded allegedly by his younger brother Pravin Mahajan, at his Worli residence here this morning, had returned to the city from Nagpur yesterday morning after a telephone conversation with him, party sources said.

They said Pravin rang up Pramod regarding some property dispute and wanted to see him urgently. It is alleged when he was asked to ring up his (Pramod) personal assistant for fixing an appointment, Pravin apparently got infuriated.

Police sources said immediately after his arrival at the house here at around 0800 hrs, Pravin had some argument with his brother, following which he fired four shots from his licensed revolver, wounding the BJP leader and left the 15th floor apartment in Poorna building immediately.

He surrendered to police with his revolver soon after the crime.

A seriously injured Pramod Mahanjan used his mobile phone to contact his brother-in-law Gopinath Munde, who lives in the same building, and fell unconscious halfway through the conversation. It was Mr Munde, married to a sister of Pramod Mahajan, who rushed him to Hinduja hospital at Mahim, party sources said.

A report from Nagpur quoting party sources confirmed that Mr Mahajan had left the city yesterday morning and flew to Mumbai by Jet Airways.

Mr Mahajan, who joined senior leader L K Adavani's 'Bharat Suraksha Yatra' at Butibori, 25 km from Nagpur, on Thursday evening, was present on the dais when Mr Advani addressed a public meeting in Nagpur, the report added.

After an overnight halt at Nagpur, he flew to Mumbai yesterday morning, party sources confirmed.

UNI