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Panchkula triple murder: Woman victim shared no direct connection with other two deceased, say cops
The victims were identified as Vinit alias Vicky, 34, and his 17-year-old nephew Teerth, both from Najafgarh, Delhi, and Vandana alias Nia, 22, a resident of Jind, Haryana
Police revealed that the 22-year-old victim, Vandana, who was killed in the triple shooting at Sultanat Hotel, had no direct connection with the two other deceased individuals. According to police, she had attended the birthday party through a mutual friend and had no known ties to the criminal activities surrounding the case.
Police said the victim was preparing for the IELTS exam and residing in a PG accommodation in Sector 22. She had previously prepared for the NEET exam and was now aiming to study MBBS abroad . Her body was cremated on Tuesday in Jind, with family expressing shock over the incident.
Despite more than 24 hours since three individuals were gunned down in the parking lot of Sultanat Hotel in Burj Kotia, near Panchkula, early Monday morning, the police have yet to apprehend the shooters or determine the motive behind the attack, even as ‘gang rivalry’ is strongly suspected.
The victims were identified as Vinit alias Vicky, 34, and his 17-year-old nephew Teerth, both from Najafgarh, Delhi, and Vandana alias Nia, 22, a resident of Jind, Haryana.
As per the police, Vinit had recently moved to Sector 17, Panchkula, just a week ago, and had arrived from Delhi with his nephew a few days prior to the incident.
The attack occurred shortly after a birthday celebration hosted by Rohit Bhardwaj, a Zirakpur resident whose background is currently under police scrutiny. The party, initially planned at Bella Vista Hotel in Sector 5, Panchkula, was shifted to Sultanat Hotel at the last minute. As per probe, Vinit and Rohit had been working together as financers in Zirakpur.
The victims were leaving the hotel at around 2:40 am when two unidentified assailants opened fire, discharging approximately 15 rounds at their Scorpio SUV. Eyewitness Ashish, a friend of Rohit, revealed that Vinit and Vandana had just entered the car, while Teerth was about to sit in the front seat when the attackers struck. Teerth tried to shield Vinit but was also shot.
Police revealed that 9mm and .32 bore pistols were used in the attack. Vinit, who was the primary target, sustained 10 bullet wounds, while his nephew Teerth had six. Vandana, who had no criminal links, sustained a chest wound.
Vinit’s criminal background is a significant focus of the investigation, said police. A member of the infamous Manjeet Mahal gang, Vinit had five cases against him, including murder, robbery, and extortion. In 2019, Vinit was injured during a police shootout with the Dwarka gang in Najafgarh.
He was apprehended by the Chandigarh Crime Branch in 2022 as a most-wanted criminal with a ₹30,000 bounty. Rohit Bhardwaj, the birthday host, is also under investigation for his possible links to criminal activities.
The police revealed that Vinit was granted bail last year in connection with a murder and robbery in Panchkula’s sector 20 showroom. He had also been acquitted in one of two cases registered against him in Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh.
