Ludhiana: The brazen gunpoint abduction and assault of a local resident in city’s Sector 32 market was a targeted retaliation for a previous shooting incident, police investigations revealed. While the victim, Shubham Manchanda, was rescued after being thrashed and dumped near Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), the police have arrested him alongside booking his abductors after discovering both rival sides exchanged heavy gunfire during the kidnapping.The conflict traces back to June 25, when masked assailants shot at a realtor’s house in Shimlapuri’s Guru Gobind Singh Nagar. The realtor’s son, Sahil Kumar alias Samrat—a murder convict out on bail—suspected Manchanda was behind the attack. To retaliate, Sahil and roughly 12 accomplices tracked Manchanda to execute the kidnapping.The ambush occurred while Manchanda and his friends, Sachin and Diljot, were getting late-night snacks in the Sector 32 market. The attackers pulled up in a Toyota Innova, prompting Sachin to flee. A violent clash erupted as the remaining men attacked each other, culminating in an exchange of gunshots before the gang forced Manchanda into the vehicle.Both individuals have extensive criminal backgrounds. Sahil, who previously lived near Manchanda’s LIG flat, runs an opposing criminal faction. Manchanda himself faces five prior FIRs. Following the market shootout, the police recovered an illegal pistol from Manchanda’s possession, leading to his immediate arrest while hospitalised.A fresh FIR has been lodged against Sahil and his aides for the shooting and abduction. Assistant commissioner of police (East) Raj Kumar said, “The kidnapping of Shubham was a revenge of Sahil as he suspected Shubham’s involvement in the firing at his house. To teach him a lesson, Sahil and his aides kidnapped Shubham from Sector 32 on Sunday night, assaulted him and dumped him near Punjab Agricultural University. Both Sahil and Shubham had also exchanged gunfire at the spot. Shubham has already been arrested from whose possession the police have recovered an illegal pistol. Further raids are being conducted for the arrest of the other accused.”
