Early Times Report
Jammu, June 19: The sensational daylight murder of a medical shop cashier in Chandigarh has exposed a disturbing new dimension of organised crime, sending shockwaves through security and law-enforcement agencies. Investigators have uncovered what they describe as an emerging trend of "Supari killers" (contract killers) being recruited from rural areas of Jammu to execute murders outside the Union Territory, a development that has raised serious concerns among security agencies.
The revelation came after a joint operation by the Jammu and Kashmir Police and Chandigarh Police led to the arrest of six members of an interstate criminal network allegedly involved in the brazen killing of a cashier at a medical store in Chandigarh.
Officials said that all six accused arrested in connection with the murder are natives of rural areas of Jammu province, marking what investigators believe is one of the first major cases in which local youths from the region have allegedly been recruited as contract killers by organised criminal syndicates operating outside Jammu and Kashmir. Security agencies view the development as particularly alarming because, although Jammu has witnessed incidents of gang rivalries, criminal activities, and organised crime in the past, the phenomenon of locally recruited "Supari killers" carrying out targeted assassinations for money has rarely surfaced in the region.
The arrests are linked to the June 13, 2026, daylight murder of Janki Das, a cashier at Shri Kumar Medical Hall in Sector 11, Chandigarh. The killing, carried out in broad daylight, had triggered panic in the city and prompted an extensive manhunt by law-enforcement agencies.
Following a coordinated investigation, police teams tracked down and arrested six accused from Jammu and Samba districts.
According to investigators, the two alleged shooters have been identified as Sunny Mehra, a resident of Samba district, and Aryan Sharma, a resident of Jammu district.
Police said the duo was allegedly hired to execute the murder as part of a contract killing operation allegedly linked to extortion activities orchestrated by an interstate criminal gang.
Besides the two alleged shooters, four other accused—Amit Kumar, Ajay Kumar, Manik Sanhotra, and Vivek Mehra—were arrested for their alleged roles in the conspiracy.
Investigators said these individuals are suspected of providing logistical support, arranging hideouts, facilitating movement, and helping the shooters evade arrest after the crime.
Officials believe the murder was not an isolated act but part of a larger criminal conspiracy involving organised gang members operating across state borders.
According to police sources, the notorious Goldy Dhillon gang has claimed responsibility for the murder. Preliminary investigations indicate that the killing may have been linked to an extortion racket being run by the gang.
The involvement of an organised criminal syndicate has prompted investigators to widen the probe to identify additional members, financial backers, and possible interstate links connected to the operation.
During the crackdown and subsequent raids, police recovered a significant cache of weapons, ammunition, and cash allegedly linked to the accused. The recovered items include one AK-47 magazine, thirty-eight live AK-47 rounds, ten live pistol rounds, two country-made pistols, one desi katta, one sharp-edged weapon (toka) and cash amounting to ₹18,000
Investigators are examining whether the seized weapons were intended for future criminal operations or were connected to previous crimes.
The case has triggered concern within security circles as investigators attempt to understand how criminal gangs operating outside Jammu and Kashmir are allegedly recruiting local youths from rural areas for contract killings.
Officials fear that the trend, if left unchecked, could create a dangerous nexus between organised crime syndicates and vulnerable youth seeking quick money.
The arrests have provided a crucial breakthrough in the Chandigarh murder case, but law-enforcement agencies believe the investigation has only begun. Efforts are now underway to dismantle the wider criminal network, identify its financiers and handlers, and determine whether more youths from the region have been drawn into the world of contract killings. |