A late-night firing incident outside the home of a well-known hotelier in Chandigarh has raised serious security concerns. The police are now investigating the possibility of gang involvement after learning that the victim had recently received an extortion call allegedly linked to the Bambiha gang.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, when two unidentified men on a motorcycle fired four shots outside the house of hotelier Tara Singh Saini, who owns Regenta Place Hotel at TDI City, Sector 119, Mohali. The firing took place at his residence in Sector 38, Chandigarh.
Saini and his family were inside the house when the shots were fired, but luckily, no one was injured. The bullets hit a Thar SUV belonging to Saini’s tenant, as well as the boundary wall and the main gate of the property.
According to police sources, the shots were fired around 12:30 am, but the incident went unnoticed until the next morning. Around 10 am, Saini’s tenant noticed a bullet mark on his vehicle and informed the family. They immediately checked the CCTV footage, which showed two men arriving on a bike, stopping briefly, firing four rounds, and then fleeing from the spot.
The police recovered four bullet shells from the site. The footage and ballistic evidence have been taken into custody for further investigation.
A senior police officer said the firing seemed to be an intimidation tactic, possibly linked to a recent extortion threat received by the hotelier. “This could be an attempt to scare him after he refused to pay money,” the officer said, adding that the police are examining whether the firing and the extortion call are connected.
Earlier, on October 28, Saini received a call from an unknown number. The caller allegedly identified himself as Lucky Patial, a gangster associated with the Bambiha gang. Saini told the caller that he did not know anyone by that name and disconnected the call. He later filed a complaint with Mohali Police, who informed him that the name “Lucky Patial” was linked to a known criminal group.
Police are still trying to verify if the call came from the gangster himself or if someone used his name to threaten Saini. “We are working with Mohali police to confirm the authenticity of the extortion call,” said UT Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kanwardeep Kaur.
The SSP added that the CCTV footage clearly shows the two attackers on a bike, both wearing helmets, which makes identification difficult. Police teams are checking nearby CCTV cameras to trace their route. The police are also verifying call records to find any connection between Saini’s complaint and the attackers.
A case has been registered under the Arms Act and Sections 109 (attempt to murder) and 308 (extortion) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the Sector 39 police station.
Saini’s cousin, Hardeep Singh, who is a councillor from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), recounted that both families had attended a social event together on Tuesday night and returned home around 11:30 pm. They went to sleep soon after, unaware that the firing took place just an hour later. “None of us heard any gunshots during the night,” he said. “It was only in the morning that we discovered what had happened.”
Hardeep said that the family was shaken but unharmed. “It’s worrying that such incidents are happening in the middle of Chandigarh. We hope the police catch those responsible soon,” he added.
Saini also told the police that although the Thar SUV hit by bullets belongs to his tenant, he owns a similar vehicle of the same model and colour, which may have confused the shooters. Investigators believe the attackers may have mistaken the tenant’s vehicle for Saini’s.
Following the incident, a forensic team and crime scene experts reached the site to collect evidence. Police presence has been increased in the area, and patrols are being conducted around Sector 38 and nearby roads.
The Chandigarh police are coordinating with Punjab police, as the suspected gang operates across state borders. The Bambiha gang is one of Punjab’s most active criminal networks, known for its involvement in extortion, firing, and contract killings. Police believe that smaller criminal groups may be using the gang’s name to intimidate business owners.
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A police official said that they are not ruling out any angle at this stage. “We are investigating whether it was an organised gang attack or an act by local criminals trying to scare the victim,” the official added.
The incident has once again highlighted the growing concern over extortion calls targeting businesspeople and hoteliers in the Tricity area. In recent months, several businessmen in Mohali and Zirakpur have reported receiving threats demanding money from unknown numbers claiming to represent gangsters.
The police have appealed to citizens to report such threats immediately and avoid paying any extortion money. They also assured that the accused will be caught soon, and additional security measures will be implemented for prominent businesspersons who report similar threats.
While the investigation continues, the incident has left residents of Sector 38 alarmed. Many locals have requested that the police install more CCTV cameras and increase night patrolling to ensure safety in the area.
As of now, no arrests have been made, but police officials said they are close to identifying the attackers based on technical and mobile surveillance data. The case remains under active investigation.
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