Around 12.30 pm, two unidentified men barged into the house of Chavan, who was standing in the balcony of his second-floor residence. Though Chavan's wife, brother and relatives were present in the house, the two forced their way inside, fired five rounds on Chavan and made good their escape.

Police have recovered four empty cartridges from the spot, indicating that a.9 mm pistol must have been used by the assailants.

Chavan sustained bullet injuries on his shoulder, chest, abdomen and head. He was rushed to KEM Hospital, Parel, but was declared dead before admission.

Crime branch sources said Chavan had earlier been convicted for the murder of one Ramesh Mali in 1972. After serving a life imprisonment for 14 years, he was released in 1988. Earlier, in 1991, an attempt wasmade on his life when two men fired on him, but he survived the attempt.