Three brothers, Abhi, Sunny and Ritik Shah, opened fire on 27‑year‑old Amit Sabharwal outside his Anand Avenue flat at 11:30 pm on Friday. Six rounds from a country‑made pistol struck him, two hitting his head, one each at the waist and leg, according to his father’s testimony. The father, who said his son had no enemies, described the sound of gunfire as sounding like firecrackers and hears the family rush out to find Amit lying in a pool of blood.
Police have registered a murder case and are inspecting CCTV footage from street cameras while raiding the brothers’ homes. The investigation is being led by the Gate Hakima police department, which said the footage would be cross‑checked with the gun‑fire reports. The three suspects are currently being pursued across the neighbourhood.
The incident follows a spate of targeted killings in Punjab this October, including the murder of queer makeup artist Madhusudan "Mad" Sandhu and anti‑drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota. Law‑and‑order officials say the violence has surged in the past month, prompting the Central Bureau of Investigation to step in on a number of cases.
BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu slammed the AAP government, demanding the Chief Minister take responsibility for the "rampant bloodshed" and calling for stronger security measures. He added that citizens cannot feel safe even outside their own homes.
The next phase of the case will see the accused arrested, followed by a preliminary hearing set for early next month. Meanwhile, the police are combing the area for any additional evidence, such as the gun used in the shooting.