India, May 21 -- A 26-year-old autorickshaw driver was critically injured after unidentified assailants opened fire at him and attacked him with sharp weapons in Balajinagar area on Wednesday morning, in an incident police suspect is linked to the ongoing gang rivalry connected to the 2024 murder of former NCP corporator Vanraj Andekar.

The victim, identified as Akshay Balu Mhaske, was attacked around 9.50 am near the busy Shahu Bank Chowk. According to the police, a group of assailants intercepted Mhaske while he was inside his autorickshaw, fired multiple rounds at him and later assaulted him with machetes and iron weapons before fleeing the spot.

He was rushed to a nearby private hospital, where doctors stated that his condition rema...