In a swift and high-intensity operation, police neutralised the two criminals involved in the murder of a Chandigarh-based property dealer during an encounter in Haryana’s Kaithal district, bringing a dramatic breakthrough to a case that had sparked widespread concern over rising urban crime.
The incident traces back to a brazen daylight killing in Chandigarh’s Sector-9, where the victim, identified as property dealer Charanpreet Singh, was shot dead by bike born assailants outside a gym. The attack, carried out with chilling precision, saw the attackers firing multiple rounds—reportedly over ten—before fleeing the scene, leaving behind panic and fear among residents in one of the city’s most prominent sectors.
Swift Police Action and Interstate Trail
Following the murder, law enforcement agencies launched an intensive investigation, relying heavily on CCTV footage and local intelligence inputs. The visuals captured the attackers escaping on a motorcycle, which became a crucial lead in tracking their movement across state lines.
The investigation soon pointed towards the involvement of hardened criminals with a known background in organized crime. Acting on these leads, teams, including personnel from the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), began tracing the suspects’ hideouts.
The accused were eventually tracked to a village in Kaithal district of Haryana, where they had reportedly gone into hiding in an attempt to evade arrest.
Encounter in Kaithal
As police teams closed in on the suspects, the situation escalated into a gunfight. According to initial reports, the accused opened fire in a bid to escape, forcing the police to retaliate. In the ensuing exchange of gunfire, both suspects were critically injured and later declared dead.
Authorities have identified one of the accused as Rajan alias Piyush Pehlwan, a resident of Ferozepur, who had reportedly returned to India through illegal routes via Nepal after staying in Malaysia. The second criminal, Pritam Shah, is said to be from Nawanshahr. Both individuals had multiple criminal cases registered against them, indicating their deep links with criminal networks.
Recovery and Ongoing Investigation
During the operation, police recovered weapons used in the crime along with the motorcycle believed to have been used in the Chandigarh shooting. Forensic teams are expected to examine the recovered material to further strengthen the case.
Officials have stated that while the immediate perpetrators have been neutralised, the broader conspiracy behind the murder is still under investigation. Authorities are probing whether the killing was linked to gang rivalry, property disputes, or a larger organised crime syndicate.
