The gangsters were trapped near a fast food joint in Charkop area. When gangster Tirupati Kotian and an accomplice were spotted, the police asked them to surrender. Kotian instead whipped out a revolver and fired on the police team injuring a constable in the arm, the police stated.

In the ensuing exchange of fire, the gangster duo were fatally injured and rushed to the Bhagwati Hospital at Borivli where they were declared dead on admission. Kotain's accomplice has been identified as Austin Carvalho.

According to the police Kotian was actively involved in murder, attempt to murder and extortion in the north-western suburbs. Kotian, against whom cases have been registered at Borivli, Malad and Kandivli police stations, was regarded a top lieutenant of Bahrain-based Budesh for the last couple of years, while Carvalho was a new recruit, the police stated. The Kandivli police haveseized a revolver and four live cartridges from the spot of the encounter.