NAGPUR: City polices’ fast loosening grip on antisocial elements came to the fore once again on Saturday when two former externed goons chased another criminal, booked for gang rape last year, and allegedly fired several rounds before the Friday midnight at Gangabai ghat slum over a heated arguement on extortion threat to a local trader’s wife.According to sources, two former externed goons, Dheeraj Malik and Sumeet Meshram, chased Ashwin Mohole brandishing firearm for rescuing one Vasu Kale’s wife Manju. Kale is a light decorator in the locality and the two goons were threatening her for extortion.Mohole, his brother Dinesh and two others have also been charged with gang rape on Malik’s mistress last year which aggravated the enemity between Malik-Meshram and Mohole. Meshram is also one of the key accused in Bunty Naharkar murder case of Gangabai ghat in 2010.On Friday, Kale had gone to a relative’s place and his wife Manju was alone at home. Taking advantage of the situation, sources said, Malik-Meshram reached his home and started threatening Manju. Mohole, who also resides nearby, reached there to rescue Manju, leading to heated arguement among them, sources said, adding that Malik at once took out the firearm and handed it over to Meshram to target Mohole.When Mohole started fleeing the spot, sources said, Meshram chased him and fired one round. Police, however, unsure of how many rounds were fired as only one live cartridge was found on the spot. But Gangabai ghat residents said that around three to six rounds were fired by Meshram and Malik during the half-an-hour-long drama. An attempt to murder case has been registered with Lakadganj police station against Meshram and Malik .According to police, Malik and Meshram had been targeting Kale for the last couple of years. The duo also wanted to have partnership in Kale’s business. But the trader did not lodge any police complaint, fearing their wrath, even after repeated attempt to convince him by the then DCP Abhinash Kumar.A section of police also feel that Mohole may have cooked up a story of firing to implicate Malik to avenge his implication in rape case by the later’s mistress at Kalamna police station last year. The Lakadganj police station and crime branch have launched a simultaneous manhunt for the duo.