Pritpal Singh and his brother Dharam Pal Singh, in their mid-40s, sustained multiple head injuries and were rushed to the Government Medical College and Hospital in Sector 32, Chandigarh. Doctors stated their condition to be critical, Investigation Officer Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Daleep Singh told Newsline.

In his statement to the police, Pritpal, who works as a driver, said around 10.30 pm last night, he along with his elder brother Dharam Pal had gone to the market in Phase I, Mohali, to buy milk and bread.

In the market, three youths, in their twenties, approached Pritpal and asked him to ferry them to Kurali. Accepting the request, Pritpal, along with Dharam Pal, ferried the youth and when they reached Kurali, the youths asked him to turn towards Siswan Road and halt the vehicle.

When he stopped the car and went to the roadside to answer nature's call, one of the youths called up someone over the mobile phone, Pritpal told the police. “Suddenly, the three youths attacked us with sharp-edged weapons and drove away with the car after leaving us seriously injured,” Pritpal added in his statement.

Some passersby later picked up the siblings from a pool of blood and rushed them to the civil hospital from where they were referred to the GMCH-32, said the police.