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Mohali trader shot in foot: Victim had sought security from Chandigarh police a month ago
The victim had filed police complaint after receiving threat calls and messages from international numbers bearing photo of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi as WhatsApp display picture
The shopkeeper, who was shot in the foot by three masked assailants in Mohali’s Jhampur village on Thursday night, was not provided any security despite alerting the Chandigarh Police in May about threat to his life, probe by the Mohali police has revealed.
The victim, Rohit Gupta, 40, a resident of Dhanas, Chandigarh, who runs a gift shop in Jhampur village, had informed the Chandigarh Police nearly a month ago that he was receiving life threats from international numbers carrying photo of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi as WhatsApp display picture.
Mohali police also said their counterparts never informed them despite receiving a complaint from the victim, who previously ran a toy and electronics shop in Sector 22, Chandigarh.
Rear windshield of SUV vandalised on May 11
As per Gupta’s complaint to Chandigarh Police, accessed by HT, on May 10, after multiple missed calls, he allegedly received WhatsApp messages in Hindi from an international number, warning him to answer the calls or else “see a trailer of what’s to come”.
When the victim continued to avoid the calls and messages, he received another message in Punjabi, issuing an extortion threat, saying “he will soon himself pay up”.
The next morning, Gupta found the rear windshield of his Toyota Fortuner smashed, following which he alerted the police via the Police Control Room. A daily diary report was lodged at the Sarangpur police station.
The victim also visited the cyber crime police station in the evening with the screenshots of the threat messages.
On May 12, Gupta filed a formal complaint through the SSP window at Police Headquarters in Sector 9.
He described in detail about the purported missed calls from unknown international numbers and subsequent WhatsApp messages threatening him with dire consequences. He received these calls on May 3, May 6 and May 10.
Submitting the complaint, he had sought protection for himself and his family, including minor children.
The complaint was also marked to the cyber cell police, Chandigarh.
In his complaint, Gupta wrote that the peace and tranquillity of his family was compromised since he started getting WhatsApp calls and messages from two international numbers.
“It is worthwhile to mention here that the messages sent by the sender to the mobile number of the applicant are of horrific nature, and the caller time and again insists the applicant to talk to him, otherwise face dire consequences,” read Gupta’s complaint to the SSP.
Gupta also submitted screenshots of the multiple calls and threat messages with his police complaint.
‘Received no info from UT Police’
A senior police officer in Mohali, not wishing to be named, said though Gupta ran a business in Mohali and commuted to the city daily, they received no information from Chandigarh Police about the threat to his life.
Admitting this, Chandigarh SSP Kanwardeep Kaur said, “We always coordinate with our counterparts. But in the present case, the victim didn’t inform us about extortion threats. A Chandigarh Police committee decides whom to give security. Had the victim told us about the extortion threats, he would have received security. We are holding an inquiry into the matter and will take appropriate action”.
Probing into Gupta’s May complaint, UT police, according to sources, are also looking into his connection with a woman whom he owes some money.
Mohali SSP Sandeep Garg could not be contacted for a comment.
Escape route
Through investigation so far, Mohali police established that the three assailants escaped on their motorcycle from Jhampur towards Manana, Balongi. As recorded in CCTV cameras, the shooters drove off at a high speed.
Gupta underwent surgery for the bullet wound in the foot at PGIMER, Chandigarh, and is stable, said police.
