In a shocking incident that unfolded in Ludhiana, three young men opened fire at a readymade garment shop in the Haibowal area. This violent act occurred on January 6 after the shop owner firmly refused to pay a hefty extortion demand of Rs 50 lakh. The attackers, two aged 19 and one 21, carried out this brazen assault for a payment of just Rs 40,000.
Police Action Leads to Dramatic Arrest
Ludhiana police swiftly responded to the situation. A team led by Inspector Varinderpal Singh Uppal established a checkpoint based on specific intelligence about the suspects. When the accused spotted the police, they attempted to flee the scene on a motorcycle. What followed was a tense exchange of gunfire in broad daylight at the Ladian-Jassian area.
Police Commissioner Swapan Sharma provided details of the confrontation. "The accused fired first at our police team. Our officers returned fire in self-defense. Two of the young men carried .32 bore pistols. During the crossfire, one bullet struck our police vehicle while another bullet grazed the turban of a constable," Sharma explained.
Narrow Escape and Injuries
Constable Pardeep Kumar from Haibowal police station experienced a terrifyingly close call. A bullet merely grazed his turban, allowing him to escape physical injury. However, two of the accused did not emerge unscathed. One sustained three bullet wounds while the other suffered two injuries. Both received immediate medical attention at Ludhiana Civil Hospital.
Identifying the Accused
Police have identified the three arrested individuals. Sumit Kumar, aged 19, resides in LIG flats in Dugri. Another suspect, Sumit who also goes by the aliases Altron and Tunda, is 21 years old and lives in New Prem Nagar within Ghumar Mandi. The third arrested person is Sanju, aged 19, from Phullanwal.
Investigations revealed a significant criminal connection. Sumit Altron is the brother of slain gangster Sagar Neutron. More broadly, police confirmed that all three accused maintain links to the notorious Rohit Godara gang.
Weapons and Evidence Recovered
From the scene of the shootout, police successfully recovered crucial evidence. This included two .32 bore pistols along with their magazines, four live cartridges, and a black motorcycle that bore no registration number.
The Extortion Plot Unraveled
The entire incident stemmed from an extortion attempt targeting garment trader Himanshu Handa. Handa received a threatening call from a person claiming to be Mahinder Dhalana, a known close associate of Rohit Godara. When Handa refused to comply with the Rs 50 lakh demand, the assailants carried out their violent threat against his shop.
Jail-Based Masterminds
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Kanwarpreet Singh shed light on the orchestration behind the attack. "Our probe indicates that an inmate of Goindwal Jail, Arshad Khan, assigned this task to the young men and provided them with weapons," Singh stated.
Khan reportedly maintains communication with Mahinder Dhalana and another associate named Shubham Grover, who is currently an inmate at Ferozepur Jail. Police have formally named both Dhalana and Grover in the First Information Report. Authorities plan to bring Arshad Khan from jail on a production warrant for detailed questioning.
Criminal Records and Broader Concerns
Two of the arrested individuals, Sumit Altron and Sumit Kumar, already have criminal cases registered against them. The extortion attempt and subsequent violent shootout have raised serious concerns among officials and citizens alike. These events highlight the growing influence of organized criminal gangs that continue to operate from within prison walls.
Police officials have assured the public that strict legal action will be pursued against all individuals involved in planning and executing this crime. The investigation remains active as authorities work to dismantle the network behind this dangerous extortion racket.
