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Local gang rivalries, road rage fuel surge in gun violence in UT
Senior police officials said that most shooters are 20-35-year-old locals or migrants with prior petty crime or drug links
The city has witnessed seven major street gunfire incidents this year, driven largely by personal enmity, road rage, and local gang rivalries, police say. While extortion-linked shootings remain rare, the influx of illegal firearms from neighbouring states and a growing tendency to settle disputes with guns have escalated violence.
The latest case occurred on November 3 in Sector 38 outside the residence of Tara Singh Saini, Mohali. His son, Manpreet, found three bullet marks on the wall, one on the gate, and two on a car parked outside. Days earlier, he reportedly received a WhatsApp threat demanding ₹2.5 crore to allow his family to “work peacefully.”
Road rage to personal vendetta: A trail of shootouts
Earlier this year, at Sector 38A’s EWS Colony, a driver opened fire at the police during a naka check on suspicion of drug involvement. In April, a road rage incident at the Zirakpur-Chandigarh border escalated into gunfire following a prolonged 11-km chase between two vehicles. Two men sustained injuries after a verbal spat turned violent when occupants of a Santro and a Gypsy exchanged blows and fired at each other near the border point. Police investigations revealed that both sides possessed firearms, one of which was licensed.
In June, Ram Darbar Phase-2 witnessed a midnight firing when two men on a motorcycle opened fire at a parked car over a personal rivalry. Both suspects were arrested within 48 hours. Both suspects were arrested within 48 hours, and two country-made pistols recovered.
In September, Sector 52’s Kajheri area saw gunmen firing five rounds at Diljot Hotel around 5 am. The hotel’s owner, Veeru, was known to be close to a gym owner who had been shot in Mohali hours earlier. CCTV footage captured the assailants fleeing on a motorcycle within seconds.Two days after this incident, unidentified men opened fire at two persons in Dhanas colony, leaving one person injured. The injured, Sunil, sustained a bullet injury on his hand and was shifted to the PGIMER. His friend, Amarjit Singh alias Tota, believed to be the target of the assailants, escaped unhurt. Investigation revealed that the firing was a targeted attack against Amarjit, possibly linked to local gang rivalry.
Senior police officials said that most shooters are 20-35-year-old locals or migrants with prior petty crime or drug links. “Many of these shooters act impulsively — during road rage, personal rivalries, or to establish dominance in a locality. The easy availability of illegal weapons from nearby states has made matters worse,” said a senior Chandigarh police officer.
Investigations across recent cases reveal that drug-linked offenders, particularly in colonies like Ram Darbar, Dhanas, and Hallo Majra, often carry firearms to deter rivals or police interception.
Police are now reviewing surveillance in border sectors and EWS colonies. Night nakas have been strengthened, and teams from the Crime Branch have been tasked to track illegal firearm supply chains operating from Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.
