Ambala: In broad daylight, two persons were killed and two seriously injured in a suspected gang war between Bhuppi Rana and Lawrence Bishnoi bands. The deceased and the injured were travelling in a sedan when miscreants opened indiscriminate firing near Kalka Chowk of Ambala City around Thursday noon. Over 25 bullets were fired.
The deceased have been identified as Pradeep and Rahul, both residents of Mauli Jagran, Chandigarh. Two other occupants of the car, Ashwani Kumar of Mori Gate, Manimajra, Chandigarh, and Gaurav of Mauli Jagran, were injured.
All four had come to Ambala district courts in a Chandigarh registration number sedan for a hearing in a July 2019 case registered against 84 accused at Ambala’s Baldev Nagar police station. The case was related to a fight between two groups inside the Ambala Central Jail.
Sources said while returning to Chandigarh, when the four reached near Kalka Chowk, some miscreants came in a car, fired indiscriminately and fled. Passersby called up the police. Ambala City SHO inspector Ram Kumar, crime investigation agency (CIA) and Ambala (headquarters) deputy superintendent of police Sultan Singh reached the spot. The police rushed all the four sedan occupants to the Ambala civil hospital, where the doctors declared Pradeep and Rahul dead and the injured were referred to Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, Chandigarh.
Later, Ambala range inspector general of police (IGP) Y Puran Kumar and Ambala superintendent of police (SP) Hamid Akhtar also inspected the crime spot.
On the complaint of Ashwani, the Ambala police registered a case against unknown persons under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 302 (punishment for murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 341 (wrongful restraint) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sections 25-54-59 (punishment for certain offences and renewal of licences) of the Arms Act at Ambala City police station.
Ashwani told police, “I run a chicken shop in Mauli Jagran. On Thursday, I, along with Gaurav, Pradeep and Rahul, came to the Ambala court for a hearing. After talking to our advocate in his chamber, we left. At the exit gate of the court, we met three persons—Deepa Gujjar, Nandu and an unknown man. They are also co-accused in our case and had come for the hearing. We gave them a lift up to Aggarsain Chowk and then left for Mauli Jagran.”
“Gaurav was driving the car and around noon near Kalka Chowk, a car intercepted us. Two armed men alighted and started firing indiscriminately. We all received bullet injuries, but Rahul and Pradeep, who were sitting at the backseat were injured severely. When a large number of people gathered, the accused fled in their car (HR 07 X-4314),” added Ashwani.
Ambala SP Hamid Akhtar told the TOI, “Four of our teams have gone to Chandigarh for the case. We have positive leads and the case is suspected to be a fight between Lawrence Bishnoi and Bhuppi Rana gangs.”
Ambala City SHO inspector Ram Kumar said, “The post-mortem of Pradeep and Rahul will be conducted by a board of doctors. Ashwani received a bullet injury on his shoulder and Gaurav in his stomach. They have been referred to GMCH, Sector 32, Chandigarh, and both are reported to be out of danger.”