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Ludhiana: Firing at garment shop after extortion calls
The businessman further told police that the caller contacted him again on Sunday and threatened to kill him and his family if the money was not paid and was given two hours time to decide
Three assailants opened fire at a garment trader’s shop at Civil City in the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday, hours after owner, Himanshu Handa, received extortion calls demanding ₹50 lakh, police said.
The incident took place around 1.50 am. According to CCTV footage, the assailants arrived on a motorcycle. Two of them fired at least five rounds at the closed shop, while the third recorded the incident on a mobile phone.
According to police, the shutter of the shop and glass doors were damaged in the firing. The incident came to light on Tuesday morning when workers reached the shop and saw bullet marks on the shutter and inside the shop. Handa later checked CCTV footage from a nearby establishment, which showed the masked men carrying out the attack.
Handa told police that he had received multiple extortion calls before the incident. “I received a WhatsApp call from an unknown number on Friday, where the caller claimed to be an associate of a gangster and demanded ₹50 lakh within 24 hours. I ignored the call, assuming it to be a hoax,” Hansda told police.
The businessman further told police that the caller contacted him again on Sunday and threatened to kill him and his family if the money was not paid and was given two hours time to decide.
Following the threat, Handa lodged a police complaint.
Later the same night, the caller again contacted Handa and told him to wait for a warning since he had refused to pay. A few hours later, the firing incident took place.
Police said five bullets were fired at the shop. The CCTV footage shows the attackers wearing hoodies.
Sub-inspector Ram Krishan, additional SHO of Haibowal police station, said the victim’s statement has been recorded and a case is being registered. “A probe is underway and CCTV footage is being examined,” he added.
The SHO declined to comment on the name of the gangster, citing the ongoing investigation.
