A PROMINENT OPPOSITION PARTY LEADER IN INDA, PRAMOD MAHAJAN, WAS SHOT AND CRITICALLY INJURED BY HIS YOUNGER BROTHER ON SATURDAY IN AN ATTACK THAT POLICE SAID MAY HAVE STEMMED FROM A FAMILY DISPUTE. THE 57-YEAR OLD MAHAJAN, THE GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE OPPOSITION BHARATIYA JANATA PARTY WAS SHOT THREE TIMES IN HIS 15TH FLOOR APARTMENT IN A POSH HIGH-RISE COMPLEX IN BOMBAY BY HIS YOUNGER BROTHER PRAVIN, WHO ARRIVED THERE IN A CAR FROM HIS HOME IN THE SUBURB OF THANE, POLICE AND DOCTORS SAID. AFTER FOUR HOURS OF SURGERY TO STOP MASSIVE BLEEDING, MAHAJAN'S CONDITION REMAINED CRITICAL AND HE WAS IN AN INTENSIVE CARE UNIT ON A RESPIRATOR, A HOSPITAL STATEMENT SAID. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE SHOOTING, PRAVIN WALKED OUT AND SURRENDERED AT A POLICE STATION WHERE HE MADE A WRITTEN CONFESSION, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTED. HE WAS CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER, A CRIME PUNISHABLE BY UP TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT. PRAVIN HAD BEEN SUFFERING FROM "SOME MENTAL DISORDER" IN RECENT MONTHS, HIS LAWYER, NANDKUMAR RAJUKAR, SAID ON NDTV TELEVISION. HE IS "COMPLETELY UNDER DEPRESSION, UNDER MENTAL TRAUMA. HE IS NOT IN A POSITION TO SPEAK PROPERLY OR TELL EXACTLY WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED," RAJUKAR SAID. THE BULLETS SHATTERED THE RIGHT SIDE OF HIS LIVER, THE TOP OF HIS PANCREAS AND DAMAGED THE SMALL INTESTINE AND THE MAIN VEIN IN HIS ABDOMEN, THE HOSPITAL SAID. THE DAPPER MAHAJAN, A FORMER INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING MINISTER, IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR AND ARTICULATE LEADERS OF THE BJP. TOP PARTY LEADERS RUSHED FROM THE CAPITAL, NEW DELHI, TO BOMBAY.
