Shops and business establishments in Mahim remained closed, while groups of police personnel manned each junction leading to Mori Road. Though the vegetable market at Plaza in Dadar remained open, alleged Shiv Sainiks forced other shops in the area to down shutters.

Deepak Akre, his cousin Vilas Akre and Milind Chaudhary were sitting with Vaidya on the pavement along with 12 others at around 10.15 pm last night when two men fired at them from a speeding Maruti. Vaidya was lucky to escape with just one bullet that lodged in his stomach, while six bullets brushed past him. He is reported to be recovering after an operation was performed upon him at Hinduja Hospital. Three others, Nischal Chaudhary, Vinday Akre and Babu Mangale were injured in the attack.

But Deepak, acarpenter in the Naval Dockyard, was not so lucky. He was sitting on a chair alongside Vaidya when he was hit on the chest. ``He just lay there, completely immobile,'' said Nitin Meher, an eyewitness to the shootout. Soon after being admitted to Hinduja Hospital, Deepak breathed his last.

Deepak leaves behind a wife and a six-year-old kid. ``He had been all set to move into a new flat by March 18, now what will his family do?'' cried Meher.

Vilas Akre had just come back to Mahim with Vaidya, and after parking the ex-mayor's car, he was sitting on the pavement when he was hit on the head. An electrician by profession, Vilas had been an active member of the Shiv Sena and was a close confidant of Vaidya. He died on the spot.

Milind Chaudhary was an unemployed youth who had been sitting on the pavement, chatting with his cousin Nischal, prior to Vaidya's arrival. Hit on the head, Milind died on the spot. Nischal is battling for his life at Hinduja hospital. ``What did my son do to them, why did they shoothim?'' cried a disconsolate Shanti Chaudhary, Milind's mother.

The bodies were brought to Mori Road from the JJ hospital by 5.30 pm. After nearly one thousand people paid their last respects to the dead, they were taken to Shivaji Park for cremation.