Two unidentified assailants on a motorcycle opened fire at a dhaba owner in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi district after he caught them attempting to steal cash from his counter, police said on Saturday.
The incident occurred late on Friday night at an eatery operated by Pradeep Guleria, a resident of Dayari Tilli.
According to police reports, the two individuals arrived at the dhaba under the pretense of ordering a packed meal. As Guleria was preparing the food, he noticed them trying to steal money from the cash counter. When he confronted them, the suspects reacted violently, pulling out a firearm and shooting at him before fleeing the scene with the stolen cash and an LED television.
The injured dhaba owner was immediately taken to a medical college in Nerchowk, where he is currently receiving treatment. His condition is reported to be stable, officials said.
Authorities have registered a case under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Section 109 (attempt to murder), Section 307 (theft), Section 3(5) (joint criminal liability), and Section 25 of the Arms Act at the Sadar police station.
A special investigation team, led by the Additional Superintendent of Police, has been formed to track down the accused.
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Preliminary investigations have revealed that one of the suspects was wearing a white cap, while the other was disguised with a black helmet. Law enforcement agencies have launched a statewide manhunt to apprehend the fugitives, who remain at large.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur visited the injured dhaba owner and assured him that the matter would be raised in the Vidhan Sabha to address growing concerns about law and order in the state.
This shooting marks the second such violent incident in Himachal Pradesh within a week. In an earlier case, former Congress MLA Bamber Thakur was attacked by four armed assailants during Holi celebrations at his wife's government residence.
Thakur sustained a bullet injury to his leg, while his personal security officer, Sanjeev Kumar, suffered multiple gunshot wounds.
The recent surge in gun violence has raised alarm among residents, prompting authorities to intensify security measures and crack down on criminal activities in the region.
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