Gangsters open fire at Pundri shopkeeper, seek Rs50L ransom

Tribune News Service

Karnal, November 16

Two bike-borne miscreants today opened several rounds of fire on a shopkeeper at Pundri in Kaithal district and demanded a ransom of Rs 50 lakh from him.

The miscreants handed over a slip to the shopkeeper, Prateek Nagpal, who runs a grocery shop in Pundri, and threatened him with dire consequences if he did not give them Rs 50 lakh. They claimed themselves to be members of the Ankush Kamalpur gang. Kamalpur is in jail in connection with the murder of gangster Neeraj Punia.

Sources said the incident took place around 7.30 am when Prateek came to the shop for cleaning it. Soon, the miscreants, with faces covered, came there and handed him a slip, demanding Rs 50 lakh or face death. They asked Prateek to move forward, and fired at him. Prateek managed to save himself by entering another shop. Before fleeing, the miscreants fired at the shop indiscriminately.

After some time, Prateek received a WhatsApp call from an international number, in which the caller reiterated the ransom demand.

SP Lokender Singh, Pundri MLA and chairman of Haryana Tourism Corporation, Randhir Golan, also reached the site and assured the traders of action.

The police have registered a case under Sections 307, 387 and 34 of the IPC. “Three teams — CIA-1, CIA-2 and Pundri police station — are working to arrest the accused,” said the SP.