A 23-year-old man was arrested by the city police on Monday in connection with a gunfight between two rival groups at Sector 32 market on Chandigarh Road a day earlier.
Police recovered an illegal country-made .32-bore pistol allegedly used in the shootout from the accused, Shubham.
Police said Shubham had allegedly been abducted at gunpoint after the clash on Sunday night, assaulted inside a vehicle and later dumped near
Punjab Agricultural University (PAU).
An FIR has been registered against members of both groups under charges including attempt to murder, kidnapping, rioting and criminal intimidation at Division No. 7 police station.
According to investigators, Shubham had gone to the Sector 32 market with his friends Sachin and Diljot for snacks when a group of around 12 men arrived in a Toyota Innova.
A confrontation soon escalated into an armed clash, during which Shubham and a rival group member, Samrat, allegedly exchanged gunfire.
SHO inspector Gagandeep Singh said Samrat’s group overpowered Shubham before forcibly taking him away in
{{/usCountry}}SHO inspector Gagandeep Singh said Samrat’s group overpowered Shubham before forcibly taking him away in
{{/usCountry}}the vehicle. Shubham’s friends immediately alerted the
police, following which investigators recovered a spent cartridge from the spot and collected CCTV footage from the market.
During questioning, Shubham told investigators that he was assaulted inside the vehicle before being abandoned near PAU later that night.
Assistant commissioner of police Raj Kumar said, “Preliminary investigation suggests the clash stemmed from an ongoing rivalry. The rival group allegedly suspected Shubham of orchestrating a firing at the house of their associate in Shimlapuri a few days earlier, though he has denied any involvement.”
“Police are verifying his alleged role in the case.”
The ACP said both Shubham and Samrat have multiple criminal cases registered against them. Police are also examining whether Sunday’s clash is directly linked to the firing at a realtor’s house in Shimlapuri on June 25.