In Year of Bloodshed, Gang Wars & Murders Shook Chandigarh

Chandigarh: The city recorded a worrying surge in murders in 2025, with 26 cases reported compared to 21 in 2024. Police claimed to have solved all murder cases, but the year was marked by gang wars, high-profile suicides, and sensational killings that kept law enforcement on its toes.The most shocking incident was a gang war in Sector 26's Timber Market, where Lawrence Bishnoi gang associates gunned down Inderpreet Singh alias Parry on December 1. The gang later claimed responsibility on social media. Police recovered a stolen Hyundai Creta used in the crime and arrested several suspects, including Rahul Sharma of Kharar and Sunny of Ludhiana. Delhi STF later nabbed shooters Piyush Piplani and Ankush.Another headline-grabbing case was the arrest of PU professor BB Goyal in connection with his wife's murder. The killing, which occurred on Diwali morning in 2021, resurfaced after a BEOS test implicated Goyal. He is now lodged in Burail jail.The year also saw the tragic suicide of senior Haryana IPS officer Y Puran Kumar on Oct 7. He shot himself at his Sector 11 residence, leaving behind a note alleging casteism and harassment by 14 senior officers. His wife, IAS officer Amneet P Kumar, initially refused post-mortem, demanding arrests and departmental action. The case drew national attention, with leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Ramdas Athawale visiting the family. A SIT is probing the matter.Gang violence continued early in the year when gangster Gagandeep Singh alias Gagan and his aide Kashish were arrested for killing a 28-year-old man in Sector 23 on January 24. Gagan even fired at police during the operation.Campus violence shocked Panjab University on March 29 when UIET student Aditya Thakur was killed during a concert. Four accused were arrested. Ram Darbar emerged as a hotspot, reporting four murders, including the stabbing of a Class 12 student on March 22 by juveniles. In April, a Shimla resident was killed resisting a robbery near Sector 43/44.The city also witnessed a mysterious death on Nov 29 when Diksha, 30, was found with her throat slit in Rose Garden's washroom. Initially treated as murder, the case was later closed as suicide after police found evidence of depression.Most killings this year involved stabbing, prompting police to arrest hundreds carrying knives across the city.On July 23, IPS officer Dr Sagar Preet Hooda took charge as DGP Chandigarh, stressing the need to tackle cybercrime and AI-driven criminal activities while ensuring ethical policing.