Ludhiana: Alleged 25-year-old gangster shot dead, friend injured near Sundar Nagar Chowk

What could be suspected fall of another gang war in city, a 25-year-old youth Kartik Baggan was shot dead, while his friend Sarvan suffered bullet injuries as unknown assailants cornered the duo near Sundar Nagar Chowk on Saturday night.

Baggan, who was facing four criminal cases, including that of attempt to murder and Arms Act, was out on bail. Reportedly a member of Puneet Bains gang, Baggan had enmity with other gangs. He also used to indulge in challenging his opponents on social media. This was not the first attack he faced. In fact on June 25, 2023, Baggan was shot at by his rivals on the Benjamin road after which he was admitted to the CMC Hospital. Though he was wanted in an attempt to murder case then and was supposed to be arrested, he escaped from the hospital while dodging the police security. He was arrested later in the case and came out on bail.

Davinder Chaudhary, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), North, said a resident of Ghati Mohalla, Baggan along with his friend Sarvan, was heading home on a scooter when on the way near Sundar Nagar Chowk the duo was cornered by bike-borne armed assailants who fired at them. Baggan suffered four bullet injuries, including two on his chest and two near the shoulder, while his friend suffered one bullet injury on his back. Passersby immediately shifted them to the CMC Hospital where doctors declared Baggan brought dead, while condition of Sarvan remained critical, while he was undergoing treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital.

Asked if murder was a fallout of rivalry among gangs, ACP Chaudhary said gang war could not be established yet, but it could be possible that Baggan’s enmity with assailants became the cause of his murder.

Baggan’s father in a statement to the police had alleged that notorious gangster Shubham Mota, Gagan Gill and Tony Chauhan either got his son killed or they themselves committed murder. Deceased’s father also told the police that his son had fight with Gagan Gill in the past and even a case was registered against Baggan then at the Tibba police station.

Acting on the statement of the deceased’s father, Mota, Gill and Chauhan were booked on the murder charge, the ACP said. The police were conducting raids at the suspected hideouts of the three accused to nab them, he said. Once any accused was arrested, the entire conspiracy behind murder could be exposed, the ACP said.

Baggan close associate of Puneet Bains gang

The police said Baggan was said to be associated with Puneet Bains gang. Shubham Mota was a rival of Bains, the police said. Shubham, a notorious gangster, was facing multiple criminal cases, including that of murder, attempt to murder, scuffle and Arms Act, among others. In 2020, Shubham and his aides had brutally assaulted Puneet Bains outside a restaurant on the RK road, the police said.

Ghanshyampuria group takes responsibility

A few hours after the murder, Gopi Ghanshampuria group shared a post on social media taking responsibility of murdering Kartik Baggan. In the post, the group stated, “I Donny Bal, Mohabat Randhawa, Amar Khabe, Prabh Dasuwal and Kaushal Chaudhary committed the murder. Baggan used to abuse our brothers. Hence, he was finished by us. In future also, if anyone even if sitting abroad will abuse us or our brothers will be eliminated.” ACP Chaudhary said this social media post was being verified and nothing could be stated at this moment.