Mohali, Nov. 15 -- With 20 firing incidents since the start of the year, Mohali residents live in a state of fear as trigger-happy assailants continue to have a free run. As per data sourced from the police, in all, the district has so far seen five cases related to extortion attempts and four where the direct involvement of gangs was found (see box). Three people have lost their lives in these incidents this year. Most of the weapons used in such incidents were found to be illegal, with investigations tracing their origins to Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, two states known as key sources of country-made firearms. Among the most shocking incidents was the November 6 attack in Phase 7, where over 30 rounds were fired outside a retired irrigation officer's home, allegedly by the Kala Rana gang. The same group had earlier been linked to a May 15 firing at music producer Pushpinder Dhaliwal's residence, both cases pointing to extortion motives. In another case, gunmen opened fire outside a realtor's office in Aerocity in July, with police later tracing links to a Babbar Khalsa operative abroad. In Dera Bassi, two men associated with gangster Goldy Brar were arrested after opening fire near a hotel during a Rs.50-lakh extortion attempt. Alarmingly, a growing number of cases involve personal disputes and rivalries. In Phase 2, a gym owner was shot dead in a parking lot following an old enmity. On the Chandigarh-Ambala highway, an argument between two men near a roadside stall turned violent when one fired at the other, leaving him critically injured. In Zirakpur, a man opened fire over a monetary disagreement, while two Punjabi singers separately have also been booked under the Arms Act for brandishing a gun during a gym altercation and for open firing during a road rage. Mohali senior superintendent of police Harmandeep Hans said, "Our teams are conducting operations, and this week alone, we have had two encounters involving armed suspects."...