A local gangster, who is on Nepali Police’s most wanted list, was shot at in Boudha on Tuesday.

A masked man opened fire on Dawa Lama on his back from point blank range while he was entering a fitness club in the morning. 

The assailant is yet to be arrested. 

Lama was rushed to Nepali Medical College, Jorpati where doctors removed two bullets from his intestine.  The third bullet had pierced through his body. 

“There was a severe intestinal rupture. He underwent abdominal surgery and an end-to-end four anastomoses were done for the intestinal injuries,” said Dr Prakash Poudel, deputy director of NMC. Anastomosis is a process of connecting intestines. 

According to Dr Poudel, Lama is out of danger and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. 

Lama was under police surveillance for long. He had earlier served a jail term on charge of extorting a Lalitpur-based businessman and Rajan Shrestha and assaulting Ram Giri, who runs a night-club in Durbar Marg. 

Ramesh Pudasaini, owner of Dibya Hospitality where Lama was shot at, said he was a member of the fitness club. 

“He used to visit the club regularly, but he would never discuss any kind of threats [with us],” said Pudasaini. 

In the CCTV footage, obtained by the Metropolitan Police Range, Teku from Dibya Hospitality, a masked man wearing a cap is seen opening fire on Lama as soon as he enters the fitness club. It appears the assailant had followed Lama and waited for an opportune time to shoot at him. 

The shooter fled the scene as Lama struggled to maintain his balance after sustaining bullet injuries. 

One of his friends had rushed Lama, who was bleeding profusely, to the hospital. 

SSP Chabilal Joshi, chief of Metropolitan Police Range, Teku, said the assailant has been identified. 

“He will be arrested soon. The shooting is a result of their personal feud,” he said, adding that the assailant is also on police’s most wanted list.