E-Paper
Chandigarh Sector 9 killing: Two Bambiha gang shooters arrested after encounter in Kaithal
Punjab AGTF, Haryana STF units dismantle Bambiha gang module within 30 hours of Chandigarh property dealer’s murder
Prefer HTon Google
In a joint operation, the Punjab Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) on Thursday arrested two suspects allegedly involved in the March 18 murder of property dealer Charanpreet Singh in Sector 9, Chandigarh, following an encounter in Haryana’s Kaithal.
The suspects, Rajan, alias Piyush Pehalwan, of Ferozepur and Pritam Shah of Nawanshahr, allegedly opened fire on police teams when intercepted in Kaithal.
In the retaliatory exchange, both sustained injuries and were shifted to a hospital. Police said the duo had been identified as the shooters behind the attack.
A .30-bore PX-5 pistol, .30-calibre Chinese pistol and .32-calibre pistol, along with ammunition, were recovered from them. This includes the weapon used for the realtor’s killing, said police.
DGP Punjab Gaurav Yadav said the arrested accused were key associates of fugitive gangster Lucky Patial of the Davinder Bambiha gang, adding that the AGTF Punjab unmasked the entire module and arrested the accused in less than 30 hours.
The hit was reportedly the outcome of gang rivalry. The Lucky Patial group had claimed responsibility on social media, alleging Charanpreet acted as an informer for rival groups and was involved in the murder of Gurvinder Singh at the Mohali judicial complex on January 28.
The AGTF had launched “Ops Silent Trigger” after the brazen daylight shooting in the high-security, upscale Sector 9 to unmask the shooters.
The AGTF team was led by SP Bikram Brar and the local Haryana STF also assisted in the operation. However, Chandigarh Police, who were originally investigating the crime, were clueless about the operation.
Accused arrived from Malaysia to execute the hit
Notably, initial interrogation has revealed that accused Piyush Pehalwan arrived from Malaysia via Nepal to execute the killing on the directions of his foreign-based handler.
“He was especially sent by Lucky Patial to perform targeted killings. As per initial interrogation, before murdering Charanpreet in Chandigarh, they tried similar attempts on other two targets, but failed,” said a senior AGTF official.
Piyush Pehalwan is named in multiple murder cases in Faridkot and Jalandhar. Rajan was also wanted in the high-profile murder of Yadwinder Singh, the driver of Jiwanjot Singh, alias Jugnu, a resident of Mansa, who was given a clean chit by police in connection with 2022 Sidhu Moose Wala murder case.
Extensive CCTV network helps map escape route
Following the murder on Wednesday afternoon, Chandigarh Police had mapped the shooters’ escape route using the extensive CCTV network spread across the city. The duo was captured crossing Attawa Chowk in Sector 42 at 12.33 pm, less than 20 minutes after the murder on Madhya Marg. They abandoned their motorcycle, bearing a counterfeit registration plate, in Mohali, before fleeing toward Haryana.
While the investigation initially focused on the abandoned vehicle and DNA evidence in Mohali, the coordinated intelligence between Punjab and Haryana police shifted the pursuit to Kaithal. Police are now investigating the local logistical support that provided the shooters with the counterfeit plates and weapons used in the Chandigarh crime.
₹8-crore property dispute behind murder?
A financial dispute of around ₹8 crore is suspected to be the motive behind the broad daylight murder, officials from Chandigarh Police, privy to the probe, said.
Investigators said Charanpreet, who operated primarily in Mohali, Kharar and Kurali, had recently entered into a high-value property deal in which he was required to pay ₹8 crore to another party allegedly linked to the Lucky Patial gang. When he was asked to clear the pending payment, Charanpreet reportedly refused, claiming that the money had already been spent.
Police sources said this led to a dispute between the two sides nearly 10 days before the murder, eventually culminating in the fatal attack.
Investigations also revealed that the victim was allegedly involved in acquiring properties through forged documents.
Police said around ₹70,000- ₹80,000 in cash was recovered from Charanpreet’s Toyota Fortuner following the attack. He had recently purchased the vehicle for ₹30 lakh.
