Shimla: Shimla Police have arrested two alleged shooters from Haryana in connection with the murder of Manisha Mittal, administrator of Saraswati Paradise International Public School in Sanjauli. The accused, who had been on the run after the June 13 killing, were apprehended within 39 hours of the crime. Police have also recovered the two pistols used in the murder.
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, Haryana. Both were arrested after police teams conducted raids at various locations and tracked them using technical evidence.
According to investigators, several criminal cases, including those related to extortion and violations of the Arms Act, are already registered against the two accused. In view of their criminal background, the police are also probing the possibility that the murder was carried out on contract. Officials said the complete picture would emerge only after detailed interrogation.
Following the murder, Shimla Police constituted multiple teams and intensified checking of vehicles on routes leading out of the city, including Shoghi and other connecting roads. Investigators found that the accused had deliberately avoided the main highways and used link roads to escape. However, police managed to identify the vehicle and trace the suspects with the help of technical inputs.
ASP Headquarters Shimla Abhishek said the two shooters had been arrested within 39 hours of the murder, and both weapons used in the crime had been recovered. He said police teams were bringing the accused to Shimla, and further arrests would be made after interrogation and examination of additional facts.
The accused are likely to be produced before a court on Tuesday. Police believe questioning of the duo will help identify other individuals involved in the conspiracy. Besides the contract killing angle, investigators are also examining the possibility of a property dispute and are probing other aspects of the case.
Manisha Mittal was shot dead outside the school gate between 6 pm and 6.30 pm on June 13. The investigation has revealed that the assailants used a white Swift car bearing a Haryana registration number. To mislead investigators, they had fitted the vehicle with a fake number plate belonging to the HP-10 series.
According to the investigation, the accused parked their vehicle on the main road before heading towards the school to execute the crime. The manner in which the murder was carried out suggests that a recce had been conducted beforehand and that details regarding the route, the school premises and the timing of Manisha Mittal’s departure had been meticulously gathered before the attack.
