Shimla June 15
In a major breakthrough, Shimla Police have solved the high-profile murder of Manisha Mittal within just 39 hours of the crime, arresting two alleged shooters from Haryana and recovering the two pistols used in the killing.
The incident occurred on the evening of June 13, 2026, when Manisha Mittal was shot dead by two unidentified assailants near Saraswati Paradise International Public School in Housing Board Colony, Shimla. The brazen daylight murder had sent shockwaves across the city and triggered an intensive police investigation.
Acting swiftly, senior police officers reached the crime scene and launched a multi-pronged probe. A forensic team was deployed to collect physical and biological evidence, while investigators recorded witness statements, examined CCTV footage, and analyzed electronic and digital evidence.
Special Teams Deployed Across States
Given the sensitivity of the case, Shimla Police constituted multiple special investigation teams and dispatched them to various locations within Himachal Pradesh and outside the state, including Haryana. Intelligence units were also activated to gather leads and monitor the movement of suspects.
During the investigation, police identified the two accused and discovered that they had travelled to Shimla from Haryana in a white Maruti Swift car. To evade detection, the suspects had allegedly fitted the vehicle with a fake Himachal Pradesh registration number from the HP-10 series while concealing its original Haryana registration.
Through technical surveillance and physical evidence, investigators established the vehicle’s true identity and tracked the accused.
Arrested from Rohtak
In a special operation conducted on Sunday, Shimla Police arrested the two suspects from Rohtak, Haryana. They have been identified as:
Ashish Ahlawat (22), son of Surender Singh, resident of Dujana village, Jhajjar district, Haryana.
Deepak (25), son of Surender Singh, resident of Sunaria Khurd, Rohtak district, Haryana.
Weapons Recovered
Police have recovered the two pistols allegedly used in the murder from the possession of the accused.
Criminal Background
According to police, Ashish Ahlawat has a previous criminal case registered against him under Section 308 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Urban Estate Police Station, Rohtak.
Deepak reportedly has four previous criminal cases registered against him, including two cases under the Arms Act, one assault case, and another under Section 308 BNS.
Probe Continues
Officials said the investigation is still underway to determine whether other individuals were involved in planning or facilitating the murder. Police are examining all possible angles and have assured that strict legal action will be taken against everyone found responsible.
The swift detection of the case, police said, was made possible through coordinated interstate operations, intelligence gathering, forensic analysis, and scientific investigation techniques, leading to the arrest of the suspects within 40 hours of the crime.
