Sunil Chadha
Una:
Himachal Pradesh town Una is fast emerging as a hotspot for violent crime spilling over from neighbouring Punjab and Haryana. The latest shock came on Tuesday night (November 19, 2025) when a birthday celebration turned deadly in the town’s Lal Singhri area, claiming the life of Youth Congress leader Ashu Puri.
An FIR has been lodged in the case, which has intensified fears that the border district is steadily absorbing the gang and gun culture long associated with adjoining states.
Birthday party turns into fatal confrontation
According to the FIR filed by 28-year-old Akash of Bahadla, he and several friends had gathered at a hotel around 8.15 pm on November 19 to celebrate Ashu Puri’s birthday. Another group, including Gurjit Mann, Purjinder alias Pindu, Parminder of Sanoli, Jasbinder, Harsh from Jattpur and Maninder from Majara, was also partying at the venue.
Both groups eventually moved to the parking area where Ashu cut his birthday cake as music played from their car. The FIR states that the second group began hurling abuses, prompting Ashu to approach them for an explanation. What followed was a brief clash in which Ashu was assaulted before the situation seemed to calm down temporarily.
Moments later, however, Parminder allegedly emerged with a pistol. The FIR claims that he ran toward Ashu while Gurjit and Purjinder urged him to “shoot Ashu in the head”. Parminder reportedly fired at point-blank range, hitting Ashu and continued shooting even as he collapsed. Akash and another youth rushed the injured leader to Una hospital where he was declared dead on arrival. Parminder and Purjinder, who were also injured in the scuffle, were later referred to PGI-Chandigarh.
The police have booked all three main accused — Gurjit Mann (a former Youth Congress block president), Purjinder and Parminder — under charges of murder and the Arms Act. Una SP Amit Yadav confirmed that both groups were acquainted and had political links.
Rise in organised crime: A pattern emerges in Una
Ashu’s killing is not an isolated case but part of a troubling escalation of violent crimes in Himachal’s border districts. The region has been grappling with the twin crises of drug trafficking and organised crime, both of which have seen a surge over the past two years.
Una witnessed another brazen killing recently as Rakesh Kumar, alias Gaggi Jatt, a history-sheeter from upper Arniyala, was shot dead inside a salon in Khwaja Basal, merely metres from the national highway. The assailants fired multiple rounds, killing him instantly before shooting into the air and fleeing.
In a chilling twist, two gangsters — Laddi Kooner from Punjab and Venkat Garg from Haryana — later claimed responsibility on social media. Their message, tagged to jailed gangster Mani Rana, warned: “This is just the beginning.”
Gaggi’s criminal record included liquor smuggling, assault, intimidation and links to the Mandi fake liquor scam. The police believe the murder was a targeted killing triggered by gang rivalries, marking a worrying cross-border penetration of violent networks into Himachal.
Political targets, digital threats and youth recruitment deepen concern
The surge in violence extends beyond Una. Earlier this year, former Bilaspur Congress MLA Bumber Thakur narrowly survived a firing at his residence on Holi. Both he and a security officer were injured. Police suspect the attack may have been linked to gang intimidation, given its timing and the political profile of the target.
Adding to the alarm is the rise of social media as a battleground for gang wars. After Gaggi’s murder, accounts linked to the Babbi Rana gang and the “Vichitra Group” posted threats of revenge. A youth, Rohit Chaudhary, publicly vowed to hunt down those responsible.
Una SP Amit Yadav said the police were monitoring digital activity closely. “We are tracing links between online threats and physical crimes to map the wider interstate network,” he said. Officials also admit that some local youths are being drawn into these gangs as foot soldiers, enticed by quick money, access to weapons and social media notoriety.
Districts such as Una, Solan, Bilaspur and Baddi are seeing increasing “spillover crimes” from Punjab and Haryana, blurring the once-clear boundary between Himachal’s peaceful reputation and its rapidly evolving security challenges.
