In a major breakthrough in the murder of Sanjauli school director Manisha Mittal, the Shimla police have arrested two alleged professional shooters from Haryana within 39 hours of the crime. The accused were apprehended from Haryana following an intensive investigation involving technical surveillance, digital evidence and CCTV footage analysis.
The arrested accused have been identified as Ashish Ahlawat (22), a resident of Dujana village in Jhajjar district, and Deepak (25), a resident of Sunaria Khurd in Rohtak district.
Addressing the media, ASP Abhishek Dhiman said the duo had travelled to Shimla in a white Swift car bearing a Haryana registration number. To evade detection, they allegedly pasted a forged Himachal registration plate (HP-10) on the vehicle.
According to the police, the accused shot multiple rounds at Manisha Mittal near the gate of Saraswati Paradise International Public School in Housing Board Colony, Sanjauli, on June 13, killing her on the spot. After the attack, they fled using link roads to avoid police checkpoints and returned to Haryana.
Special police teams were immediately constituted to trace the assailants. The investigation led officers to Haryana, where both accused were arrested. The police also recovered two country-made pistols from their possession.
The ASP said both accused have criminal backgrounds. Ashish is facing a case of extortion under Section 308 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), while Deepak has previous cases under the Arms Act, extortion and voluntarily causing hurt. He added that the accused were using virtual numbers to communicate and conceal their identities.
Responding to allegations that police had failed to act on complaints previously filed by the deceased, Dhiman said appropriate action had been taken. He said most complaints related to civil disputes, including alleged tampering of a society register, while a kalandra had been filed in court in a separate assault complaint.
The police said legal formalities are underway to bring the accused to Shimla for further interrogation and court proceedings. Investigators are also examining allegations made by Manisha Mittal against her brother in connection with an ongoing property dispute.
