Two open fire outside house of hosiery trader

Times News Network
Ludhiana: Two miscreants opened fire outside the house of a hosiery trader in Deep Nagar on Sunday night following an old rivalry.
Trader Yogesh Maini, 40, has accused the husband of a councillor of conspiring the attack, as he has approached the Punjab and Haryana high court against the construction of his hotel in a residential locality.
Police have recovered two bullet shells from the spot and registered a case against Mohit Sahni of New Deep Nagar and Honey Sahota of Prem Nagar under sections 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others), 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC and the Arms Act.
Yogesh said in his police complaint, “Around 10pm Sunday, I along with my neighbours was standing outside my house when the accused came there in a car and started abusing me. When they left, I went to Kailash Nagar police post to lodge a complaint against them. There, I received a call from my wife that the accused had opened fire outside our house and escaped. I rushed to our house and informed the police.”
He alleged that the accused were supporters of Sushil Raju Thapar, husband of area councillor Indu Thapar of Congress. “Sushil is constructing a hotel opposite my house. As some residents of the area and I have approached the HC against it, Sushil holds a grudge against me,” he added.
Yogesh’s neighbour Gaurav Kalia, who is a BJP worker, said, “Yogesh and I are good friends. Earlier, the supporters of Sushil had abused us on social media after we posted about our community service. During lockdown, the accused had thrown liquor bottles outside my house after which Yogesh and I had got a case registered against Mohit and Honey.”
“Eyewitnesses told us that the accused had pointed the gun at Yogesh’s wife. The bullet missed its mark after two area residents intervened. After firing two shots, the accused escaped from there,” Gaurav added.
Sushil, however, said he had no rivalry with anyone. “I have all the permissions and documents for my hotel. Besides, Yogesh has an enmity with Mohit and Honey. During lockdown, Yogesh worked as a police volunteer and had humiliated some migrant workers, which was opposed by Mohit and Honey. Yogesh had also got an FIR registered against the duo. This is the reason for their rivalry. My name is being dragged into the case,” Sushil added.
Division 8 police station SHO inspector Jarnail Singh said, “The accused and the complainant have an old rivalry that led to the attack. The role of the councillor’s husband has not emerged. The accused will be arrested soon.”