Gangster Karan, accused in the killing of Kabaddi player Rana Balachauria, was shot dead in an encounter, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Mohali, Harmandeep Singh Hans, confirmed. The incident took place near the cricket stadium in New Chandigarh.
The accused was taken to recover a bore pistol at night, when he escaped from police custody and absconded for six to seven hours. The police received inputs that the accused was hiding in Mullanpur. The police laid the trap for him. As confirmed by the police, the accused opened fire on the police, who opened fire in retaliation, during which the gangster suffered injuries.
Karan was taken to the hospital, where he succumbed to injuries and died. One police personnel member was also injured in the encounter. Karan, alias "Defaulter," fired six to seven rounds at the spot, while the Punjab Police fired around nine rounds in retaliation.
The police had earlier arrested three accused in the murder of Kanwar Digvijay Singh, alias Rana Balachauria, from Kolkata. A court had sent them to police remand. Two of the accused in the case have now been killed in separate police encounters.
Accused acting on instructions of foreign-based gangsters
SSP Harmandeep said the arrested accused were acting on the instructions of notorious gangsters Balwinder Singh alias Donny Bal and Amarjit Singh alias Khabba, who are based abroad. Among the arrested accused was Karan Pathak alias Karan Defaulter (23), a resident of Nimal Mandi, Amritsar (originally from Uttar Pradesh), who was killed today. He had fired at Rana Balachauria along with Aditya alias Makhan. Another accused, Tarandeep Singh (25), a resident of village Badewal in Ludhiana, was present at the scene with a motorcycle at the time of the crime and played an active role in helping the shooters escape after the incident.
Harmandeep opened up on the entire incident. "As you know, Karan was recently arrested in West Bengal. For security reasons, he was being kept at the CIA office along with the other accused. Last night, he complained of restlessness, and while he was being taken to the hospital, the police vehicle hit a divider due to dense fog, following which he escaped," SSP Harmandeep said.
"We conducted a massive search operation over the next six to seven hours. When he was finally traced, he opened fire on the police. In the retaliatory firing, he was shot and was taken to the hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries," he added.
Speaking on the weapon that the accused used while firing on the police, the SSP said it is a matter of investigation. "However, since he was absconding for six to seven hours, he must have procured the weapon from somewhere during that time.
"He fired six to seven rounds, while the police fired nine to ten rounds in retaliation. He had complained of chest pain, which is why we sent him to the hospital at night with three police personnel," he said.
Another accused was killed in encounter earlier
Earlier, Harpinder alias Middu, a resident of Naushehra Pannuan and the main accused in the murder of kabaddi player Rana Balachauria, was killed in an encounter with police in Punjab's Mohali. Police said the accused was apprehended following an exchange of fire with the police team, and during the operation, he had sustained injuries and was shifted to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. In the encounter, two police personnel were also injured and are receiving medical treatment.
Balachauria, a Kabaddi player, was shot dead in Mohali during a Kabaddi match in Sohana on December 15. Motorcycle-borne assailants opened fire at Balachauria, and he was shot dead during a Kabaddi tournament in Sector 79. Meanwhile, the Bambiha gang's Ghanashampuria and his associates connected with the gang took the responsibility for the murder.
