Ponty Chadha’s men had allegedly attempted to take possession of another farmhouse in Bijwasan on the day he and his younger brother Hardeep were gunned down in a fierce exchange of fire at their farmhouse in Chhattarpur here over the weekend.
Joint Commissioner of Police Vivek Gogia on Monday said there was high tension in the family during the past few days and efforts were being made to reconcile the differences between the two brothers and reach a compromise.
Mr. Gogia said the Chadha brothers’ mother and elders in the community were trying to mediate between them to resolve the property dispute. However, he said investigators have not come across any evidence to suggest that the brothers had taken the matter to court.
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On Saturday morning, Ponty Chadha’s men allegedly forced their way into the Chhattarpur farmhouse, beat up Hardeep’s employees who were staying there, snatched away their phones and drove them out. Mr. Gogia said some occupants were also kept in confinement. Based on a complaint, the police later registered a case of hurt, dacoity, abduction and trespass.
The police officer said another group of Ponty Chadha’s men also attempted to take possession of the Bijwasan farmhouse around the same time. That property was also apparently in his brother’s possession. “A case of intimidation and trespass has been registered in this regard and two persons arrested,” said Mr. Gogia. The accused have been identified as Madan Rana and Vijay.
According to the First Information Report registered on the basis of a complaint lodged by Ponty Chadha’s friend and Uttarakhand Minority Commission chairman Sukhdev Singh Namdhari, he along with Ponty Chadha reached the farmhouse in question around noon.
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The FIR states that Ponty Chadha’s security manager Narender was unlocking the farmhouse gate when Hardeep arrived on the scene with his gunmen and security guards. He allegedly got off the vehicle and fired at Narender, who ran inside the premises in a bid to escape. However, a bullet pierced his left leg and he fell down.
Hardeep then allegedly turned towards Ponty Chadha’s vehicle. The elder brother was alighting from the vehicle when Hardeep allegedly opened fire at him, hurling abuses. Sukhdev Singh alleged that Hardeep also fired at him twice, at which his personal security officer fired in retaliation. According to the complaint, Hardeep then went inside the farmhouse after which Sukhdev Singh rushed Ponty Chadha to Fortis Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. Hardeep also died inside the farmhouse.
In his statement to the police, Narender claimed that he almost lost his senses after he was hit. All he could hear were gunshots being fired. He somehow managed to reach his car, drove some distance and then called up his wife who rushed him to a hospital in Gurgaon.
The police said they initially received a call around 11-45 a.m. about a scuffle at the Chhattarpur farmhouse from a person other than Hardeep. However, on verification they did not find anything suspicious at the farmhouse. They then received another call around 12-30 p.m., following which they found Hardeep’s body inside the farmhouse. Six persons, including three personal security officers and the driver of Ponty Chadha, who were present there, informed the police that he had been taken to Fortis Hospital.
The police recovered two pistols from the spot. While they are yet to ascertain their ownership, they have learnt that Hardeep owned two legal firearms. Ballistic report would establish if the same firearms, in case they are of Hardeep, were used to gun down Ponty Chadha.
While the police suspect a property angle behind the killings, Hardeep’s in-laws have dismissed it stating that there was no such difference between the two brothers.