The director of an offshore casino in Goa escaped unharmed after two assailants opened fire at him near a hotel in Porvorim, near Panaji, on Friday night, said police. According to the police, the director’s bodyguard retaliated by firing three gunshots at the assailants, who escaped from the spot.

According to the police, the incident took place at 8.47 pm when Srinivas Nayak, director of the offshore casino Majestic Pride, was leaving the hotel ‘Neo Majestic’, which houses the Majestic Paradise, in Porvorim in North Goa and was about to sit in his car. A senior police officer, requesting anonymity, said: “As he was about to enter his car, two assailants fired two to three rounds at him. One of his bodyguards also fired three shots in defence, but the accused managed to flee”.

Police said no one sustained injuries in the crossfire. Nayak told the media: “I was about to sit in my car when two assailants fired three rounds at me. My bodyguards fired three rounds in response. They fled by crossing the highway. Police are going through CCTV now.”

Police said they are recording the victim’s statement and a probe has been initiated. “The motive for the shooting is yet to be ascertained. The accused are yet to be identified. We are probing the case from all angles including business rivalry as the motive for the shooting,” the police officer added.