Gunmen Open Fire at Property Dealer's Residence in Punjab
A property dealer, Sukhdarshan Singh, was targeted by gunmen outside his residence in Hoshiarpur village on Thursday, in an apparent attempt to pressure him after he failed to meet a ₹1 crore extortion demand.
Background to the Attack
The demand was made nearly ten days ago by a caller claiming to be gangster Lucky Patial, who is believed to be operating from Armenia and controlling a network across Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh.
Recent Incidents of Extortion
- A ₹1 crore extortion demand was made to a property dealer in Baltana, who reported receiving a call from a caller identifying himself as Doni Bal's brother.
- A Sector 79 resident and a Chandigarh jeweller reported receiving threats of ₹5 crore on WhatsApp from numbers linked to the Bambiha group.
- In another case, bike-borne men fired 11 rounds outside a businessman's house in an attempt to extort ₹5 crore, but police later arrested three accused who acted on the directions of gangsters Prince Thikriwala and Bhavjot Singh.
Police Action in Recent Extortion Cases
- Police arrested three accused in the ₹5 crore extortion case, who acted on the directions of gangsters Prince Thikriwala and Bhavjot Singh.
- Police arrested Karan Pathak, the main shooter in the Rana Balachauria murder case, and his associates.
- Pathak was later killed in an encounter with law enforcement, and the second shooter, Aditya Kapoor alias Makhan, remains on the run.
Investigation into the New Chandigarh Firing
Police are tracing the route taken by the assailants and examining CCTV camera footage across several points to determine whether the incident fits into the same cycle of pressure tactics being used by extortion networks in the tricity.
Recent Extortion Demands in Mohali and Chandigarh
- At least four extortion demands of ₹1 crore or more have been reported in Mohali and Chandigarh in recent months.
Police have arrested several individuals in connection with these cases, but no arrest has been made in the Baltana case.
Timeline of Recent Extortion Cases
- March 18: Property dealer Charanpreet Singh was shot dead in broad daylight in Chandigarh's Sector 9 market.
- March 19: Gangster Lucky Patial claimed responsibility for the killing on social media.
- December 2025: Kabaddi promoter Rana Balachauria was killed in a tournament in Mohali's Sector 79.
- October 2025: Three Patial aides were detained after a brief exchange of fire near Bhukhri Road, Kharar.