A businessman and key witness in a criminal case was shot dead on Friday night in Mira Road, a suburb adjacent to Mumbai in Maharashtra’s Thane district. The incident took place at the Shanti Shopping Centre, where 35-year-old Mohammad Tabrez Ansari, also known as Shams Tabrez Ansari alias Sonu, was gunned down.

According to the police, the attack took place around 10 pm when an unidentified man entered the shopping centre, shot Ansari in the head from close range, and fled the scene. 

Ansari was a witness in a criminal case and had been receiving threats in the days leading up to his death. He had reportedly filed a complaint with the police regarding the threats.

Following the attack, officers from the Naya Nagar police station cordoned off the area and began collecting evidence, including CCTV footage, to identify the attacker.

Ansari’s body has been sent for postmortem examination, and the police have initiated an investigation.