Four Arrested in Brutal Market Murder Over Parking Dispute
Chandigarh: Four men have been arrested in connection with the murder of a 42-year-old businessman who was dragged from his vehicle and beaten to death in a crowded market square on Friday. The victim, Jitesh Manocha, owner of Manocha Cloth House, was sitting in a friend's stationary SUV outside his shop in the Pinjore main market when he was ambushed by a gang of masked men armed with knives and clubs.
Panchkula deputy commissioner of police (crime) Amarinder Singh confirmed that the attack stemmed from a bitter parking dispute between Manocha and the prime suspect a month earlier. Security footage from the busy commercial district captured the moment five to six masked assailants swarmed the vehicle. While Manocha's friend escaped from the passenger side, the gang dragged the unmarried cloth merchant onto the pavement.
Witnesses stated that the group attacked Manocha relentlessly, inflicting multiple stab wounds and blunt-force trauma. Even after the victim fell unconscious, one assailant continued to strike him over the head with a club. Manocha's father witnessed the assault and attempted to chase the attackers as they fled into the crowd, but they escaped. Manocha was rushed to the Sector 5 civil hospital, but he could not be saved.
Retribution Flight Cut Short
The DCP stated that the murder was an act of retaliation. The prime suspect, Khushdeep Singh, had been involved in a violent altercation with Manocha four weeks prior after parking his vehicle directly in front of the merchant's storefront. Using the market's CCTV network to track the escape routes, tactical police units launched a series of raids within hours of the murder.
The arrested suspects are Khushdeep Singh, Manpreet Singh, Rohit Mehta, and Manish Chaudhary. Raids are ongoing to arrest the remaining suspects captured on the footage. Authorities have urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity.
