SHAHABAD (KURUKSHETRA), June 14: A liquor contractor was gunned down in broad daylight near Meena Market on the national highway in Shahabad, about 20 km from Kurukshetra, triggering panic and a massive manhunt, police said Saturday.
The victim, identified as Shantanu, had stopped his car briefly to buy essentials when two unidentified assailants on a sports bike opened fire, pumping at least seven bullets into him, said police. The attackers fired a total of eight rounds before fleeing the scene. Bystanders reportedly tried to intervene, but the assailants ditched their bike, ran across the highway, snatched another motorcycle at gunpoint and escaped toward Ambala, riding against the flow of traffic.
Shantanu was rushed to Adesh Hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.
Kurukshetra Superintendent of Police Nitish Aggarwal, who visited the crime scene along with DSP Ram Kumar and Shahabad SHO Satish Kumar, said a case has been registered and efforts to track down the killers have intensified. “We’ve sealed major routes, deployed additional forces at state borders, and formed multiple search teams. Forensic experts are assisting the investigation,” he said.
The victim hailed from a village in Jhajjar district but had been living in Shahabad for some time. According to police, initial findings suggest the killing may be linked to a long-standing rivalry or dispute related to the liquor trade.
Eyewitness accounts and CCTV footage from Meena Market and surrounding areas are being analysed. Investigators have also recorded statements from nearby shopkeepers and collected forensic samples from the scene.
“Certain leads have emerged and we’re pursuing them actively,” SP Aggarwal added. “We are confident of making a breakthrough soon.”
The murder has sparked fears among local traders and residents, while police presence has been visibly stepped up across Kurukshetra and nearby regions, including Ambala, Saha, and Barara.
