Ahmedabad: Former Gujarat Home Minister Haren Pandya was on March shot dead by an unidentified gunman as he was returning from his morning walk at Law Garden locality, about two km from his residence.

Forty three-year-old Pandya was hit by five bullets fired from close range in his chest, neck and lower abdomen and was rushed to V S hospital, where doctors unsuccessfully struggled to save him, according to doctors who attended on him.

Pandya was declared "dead" when he was brought to the hospital at 11.00 am (IST), they said.

The resident medical officer (RMO) said Pandya's body has been sent for post mortem.

Official sources said the gunman on a motorcycle opened fire on Pandya when he sat in his car and was about to drive back home at around 10.30 am (IST) after finishing his morning walk.

According to the sources, Pandya lay unattended for nearly half an hour before people could notice him.

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, senior police officials and several senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders rushed to the hospital as the news of attack on Pandya spread.

A large number of his supporters also gathered outside the hospital and shouted slogans against Modi and Shah.

Pandya was close to former Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel and was Home Minister in the Patel government.

Pandya had revolted against the leadership of Modi, who succeeded Patel following bitter factionalism in BJP's Gujarat state unit more than a year ago.

As a fall-out of his strained ties with Modi, Pandya had to quit Modi government and was later denied party nomination from his home constituency of Ellis Bridge in last December's Assembly elections in Gujarat.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani and Venkaiah Naidu are rushing to Ahmedabad.

Police Commissioner K R Kaushik said Pandya was shot at by two assailants on a motorcycle outside Law Garden, about three kms from his residence when he was just moving in his car after the morning walk.

A red alert has been sounded throughout Gujarat and all measures taken to maintain peace, Kaushik said.

He said the identity of the assailants is yet to be ascertained, but a manhunt has been launched for the assailants, with police checking all vehicles.

Shopkeepers in the area downed their shutters in protest against the killing of Pandya and demanding the arrest of the assailant.

Hearing the news of Pandya's death, his father, who rushed to the hospital, fainted and was admitted there.

Born on August 27, 1961, Pandya was first elected to Gujarat Assembly in 1993. He was Minister of state for Border Security (independent charge) prior to his elevation as Home Minister in 1998 and remained till the Assembly was dissolved last year.

An engineering graduate, Pandya was a well-known student leader and was former corporator of Ahmedabad.

He is survived by his wife and two sons.

PTI