MUMBAI: In a broad daylight shoot-out, a 23-year-old gun-wielding youth was killed by police in a state transport bus after he was suspected of trying to take the passengers hostage in suburban Kurla. The gunman identified as Rahul Raj, a resident of Patna, was sitting on the upper level of a double-decker bus with the weapon, a video released by a news channel showed.

"The man fired at the police in 'Bail' bazar area of Kurla and was shot in retaliatory fire," Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime), Rakesh Maria said. The youth was seen first threatening policemen present nearby and running up and down the bus before being shot at around 0930 hours inside a BEST bus in the northeast suburb. A passenger, identified as Manoj Bhagat, received bullet injuries in his leg during the exchange of fire, hospital sources said. Maria said that the police suspected that the gunman was trying to take the bus passengers hostage and "this is being verified". Raj was pronounced dead at the Rajawadi hospital in Ghatkopar.

The gunman threatened passengers with a revolver, police said. The video footage showed Raj pointing the revolver at police personnel standing below. He was asking to speak with the city Police Commissioner and shouting abuses as well.

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