The five gangsters, aged between 18 and 22, were arrested from hideouts at Mankhurd and Powai. Four Tokarev pistols and a Pakistani Mauser with 52 live rounds have been recovered from the shooters.

The five were involved in firing at Durshan Deria, owner of Hotel Bollywood, Bandra, on May 5. They were also named in an attack on the owner of Noble Garment near JJ Hospital, a businessman at Pydhonie on May 29, Modern Sweets at Central Mumbai and Vikas Patil at Sakinaka on June 5, Additional Commissioner of Police Rakesh Maria said.

The gangsters have been identified as Nasim Ansari (20) alias Yusuf Chikna, Mittalkumar Jain alias Tata (22), Milton Feroz alias Raj, Sadashiv Shivsharan (18) alias Dollar and Arvind Sable (22).

According to Maria, the members of the gang were in direct communication with Chhota Shakeel at Karachi andopened fire at the targets at the instance of the don. This was done to scare the victims into coughing up large sums as extortion money, Maria added.

Investigations have revealed that the shooters were paid Rs 5,000 each for firing at the Bandra hotelier. They were paid Rs 2,500 for firing at the owner of Noble Garments, and the rewards depended on the targets.

All the gangsters had two things in common. They were not educated, and they wanted to make quick money.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (zone IX) M H Gavit said police have launched a manhunt to nab Ramsingh Thakur, believed to be the key member of the gang, and his associate Paras Jain.

Strangely, all the arrested gangsters learnt to cock the gun in empty toilets, and most of the targets were fired at within the range of six feet, which virtually needed no target practice, police said.