Moscow, September 24, 2004
IANS

An unidentified man in Moscow pumped several bullets into Indian businessman Shravan Kaluri as he entered a building where he stayed.

The killer then fled even as the victim lay bleeding. Kaluri later died in hospital.

Police described the crime as a contract killing but said it was too early to ascribe a motive.

Shravan Kaluri, 33, originally of Andhara Pradesh, was shot dead while opening the entrance of the building where he has been living with his family.

Police said Kaluri was returning home after dropping his daughter to school.

The killer, who was apparently waiting for the victim, shot at him while he was pressing the entrance door code.

Kaluri fell on the ground after he was shot several times with a revolver that was probably fitted with a silencer, police said.

The killer pumped several bullets into the profusely bleeding Kaluri to make sure he was dead, police added.

Kaluri's neighbour, who was returning from her morning walk, found him lying in a pool of blood and immediately called an ambulance.

Kaluri, who was still breathing when the ambulance reached the hospital, died in the hands of the doctors.

Police are working on several clues, and said the murder is most likely connected with Kaluri's business activities.

Indians who know him say he was doing customs clearance work, a highly criminal business in Russia.

Apparently, he owed a lot of money to many Russians as well as Indians and police speculated the murder could have been organised by one of those to whom Kaluri owed a large sum of money.

Local daily MK speculated that Kaluri was involved in arms trading, and perhaps Indians to whom Kaluri owed money organised his murder.

However, his Indian friends could not confirm this.

Kaluri had come to Russia for higher studies some years ago and stayed back here after marrying a Russian girl.