Chandigarh Student Murder: IB Officer's Son Fires at Police, Shot in Leg in Sector 50 Encounterਚੰਡੀਗੜ੍ਹ ਵਿਦਿਆਰਥੀ ਕਤਲ ਮਾਮਲਾ: ਆਈਬੀ ਅਫ਼ਸਰ ਦੇ ਪੁੱਤਰ ਨੇ ਪੁਲਿਸ ਉੱਤੇ ਗੋਲੀ ਚਲਾਈ, ਮੁਕਾਬਲੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਜ਼ਖ਼ਮੀ

A weapon recovery operation in a Chandigarh forest turned into a shootout on Saturday morning when a young man arrested for the murder of 17-year-old student Naitik Khandelwal allegedly pulled out a second concealed weapon, fired at the police team and was shot in the leg in retaliatory fire.

The accused, Manmehar Preet Singh, also known as Mann, had been arrested on Friday along with his brother Arsh Mehar. Both are sons of a serving Intelligence Bureau officer with the Punjab Police, The Indian Express reported. A minor accused in the case has been sent to an observation home.

What happened in the Sector 50 forest?

A Chandigarh Police Operations Cell team led by Inspector Harinder Singh Sekhon took the two brothers to the forested stretch in Sector 50 on Saturday to recover weapons allegedly hidden there after the murder. The recovery was being videographed, as procedure requires. Police say that while one weapon was being recovered at Arsh Mehar's instance, Mann suddenly ran ahead to another spot, took out a weapon he had concealed there and opened fire.

The single shot he fired struck Assistant Sub-Inspector Pradeep on his bulletproof jacket, leaving the officer unhurt. Police fired two rounds in response. One hit Mann in the leg, and the team overpowered him. He was taken for medical treatment. Chandigarh Senior Superintendent of Police Kanwardeep Kaur confirmed to The Indian Express that the Operations Cell carried out the operation at the spot where the weapon had been concealed.

How was Naitik Khandelwal killed?

Naitik, 17, was shot dead on Thursday night near the Sanatan Dharam Mandir in Sector 22. He was travelling in an autorickshaw when assailants opened fire on the vehicle. He was rushed to hospital but could not be saved. The autorickshaw driver was also injured in the firing.

Investigators say the killing grew out of an earlier dispute between Naitik and a minor. A video of a fight between the two sides had circulated on Instagram, and police are examining whether the shooting was planned as retaliation for that humiliation. Police say the minor approached the two brothers, who were then allegedly drawn into carrying out the attack.

Why are gang links being probed?

Inspector Sekhon told The Indian Express that the two brothers are also suspected of involvement in earlier shootings in Punjab. Their suspected links with the criminal networks of Lawrence Bishnoi and the Lucky Patial gang are under investigation, he said. Detectives are now working through how the accused were contacted, how the weapon was arranged and whether the Chandigarh killing was connected to a wider network.

The case has shaken parents and students across the city, because it began, on the police account, as a school dispute that was filmed, shared online and then answered with a gun. Police say further arrests and recoveries are possible as the investigation continues.

Who has been arrested in the Naitik murder case?

Police have arrested brothers Manmehar Preet Singh, known as Mann, and Arsh Mehar, and sent a minor accused to an observation home.

Was any police officer injured in the encounter?

No. The shot fired by Mann hit Assistant Sub-Inspector Pradeep's bulletproof jacket, and the officer escaped unhurt. Mann was injured in the leg in retaliatory fire.

What triggered the Sector 22 shooting?

Police point to an old dispute between Naitik and a minor, sharpened by a fight video circulated on Instagram. Suspected gang links are also being probed.