Chandigarh Medical Store Shooting: Masked Gunmen Kill Cashier And Injure Two; CCTV Captures Daylight Murder

Chandigarh: A 45-year-old man was shot dead in broad daylight on Saturday afternoon after masked assailants opened fire inside a medical shop in Chandigarh. The victim, identified as Jaanki Dass who worked as a cashier at the medical shop, died from multiple bullet wounds despite being rushed to the hospital. The brazen attack, carried out in a busy market complex, has triggered concerns over targeted violence in the city.

According to Chandigarh Police, the incident occurred around 2.30 pm when 3 men arrived at the market complex on a motorcycle. As per the police, 2 of them, faces covered and armed with pistols, walked into the medical store while the third waited outside on the bike. The locals' accounts and preliminary findings from the police suggested that the gunmen moved directly to the counter and shot Jaanki Dass at point-blank range. 

The police asserted that multiple rounds were discharged in rapid succession, leaving the cashier critically wounded. He was taken to the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), where doctors later pronounced him dead. The police sent his body to the mortuary of the hospital for a postmortem. A case has been registered under relevant sections and a manhunt has been launched to nab the culprits at the earliest. 

The police confirmed that at least people sustained injuries during the firing at the spot, following which the attackers fled the scene on their motorcycle before police could arrive. A large-scale search operation has been launched immediately, with Crime Branch officers joining the probe. The police have imposed ‘nakabandi’ across Chandigarh and are scanning CCTV footage from the shop and surrounding areas to identify the suspects. 

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sumer Partap Singh confirmed the death and said the motive is still under investigation. “Two masked persons came around 2:30 pm and opened fire on Jaanki Dass. The victim has expired. A total of 13 rounds were fired. Three suspects were involved in the incident. We have not received any evidence of an extortion call so far, but all angles are being probed,” the SSP stated.

Past Threats To Store Owner Under Scanner

During the preliminary inquiry, it surfaced before the police that the medical store’s owner had received threat calls in the past. In 2017, two youths allegedly fired shots in the air outside Kumar Brothers Medicos, though no one was hurt at the time. The police are now examining whether Saturday’s killing was connected to an old rivalry, a targeted attack, or an extortion attempt. All possible angles remain open as the police teams probe the sequence of events and try to trace the motorcycle used by the assailants.

The killing of a shop employee in a crowded market has left local traders and residents in a state of fear. The police assured that they are pursuing multiple leads and will not rule out any motive until concrete evidence emerges. The investigation is ongoing.