Kabaddi Promoter Murder Case: Shooter Killed in Encounter After Arrest at Howrah Station

Three men who were suspected of murdering a high profile kabaddi organiser, Kanwar Digvijay Singh alias Rana Balachauria were apprehended in a combined interstate operation at Howrah Railway Station and the prime shooter was subsequently killed in a police encounter in Mohali, the authorities said. The West Bengal Special Task Force (STF), Kolkata Police and the Punjab Police Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) carried out the arrests following a multi-state chase that traversed Punjab, Maharashtra, Karnataka, West Bengal, and Sikkim. Karan Pathak, Tarandeep Singh, and Akashdeep Singh who were charged with the crime were arrested and sent to the police custody, awaiting further investigation. In custody, Karan Pathak, the alleged gunman, tried to flee as he was being transported to a hospital and was later surrounded and shot dead by police in Kharar, Mohali. As a result of this development, eight accused have been arrested or neutralised in the high profile case as law enforcement agencies still attempt to determine connections with foreign-based gang networks, such as connections to the Lawrence Bishnoi and Dony Bal gangs.

Arrests at Howrah After Multi-State Chase

The operation was conducted by West Bengal Special Task Force (STF), Kolkata Police and the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), Punjab Police in Howrah Railway Station. The teams intercepted Karan Pathak, Tarandeep Singh and Akashdeep Singh on accurate interstate intelligence information that they were trying to evade law enforcement following the murder. The investigators disclosed that the accused took days on the run across Punjab, Maharashtra, Karnataka, West Bengal and Sikkim in an effort to avoid arrest. Technical surveillance and human intelligence were closely followed on their movements which later saw them being captured in West Bengal. The joint arrest underscored increased collaboration between state police departments in addressing organised crime networks that cut across India.

Roles of the Accused and Police Custody

According to police officials, Karan Pathak, also known as Karan Defaulter, was the main shooter who opened fire on the kabaddi promoter, killing him in a targeted attack. Tarandeep Singh played a crucial role by riding the motorcycle used during the shooting, facilitating the shooter’s escape from the crime scene. Akashdeep Singh, described as a close relative of a foreign-based handler, was responsible for arranging safe houses, accommodation, and logistics for the accused after the murder. After their arrest, the three accused were produced before a Mohali court, which granted three days of police custody for further interrogation. Investigators were probing the larger conspiracy, including funding, weapons supply, and links to international gang operators, as the murder appeared to be a well-planned contract killing rather than a spontaneous crime.

Encounter in Mohali and Expanding Gang Links

The situation became dramatic when Karan Pathak who was in police custody complained that he felt chest pain, and was on his way to a hospital, accompanied by the police. Authorities indicated that he was able to break free of custody, and that led to an immediate alert and massive manhunt throughout the Mohali area. He was later isolated in Kharar, Mohali where he is said to have fired shots towards police officers. Police verified that Karan Pathak was killed in the resultant firing of bullets. There were no injuries of police personnel reported. The police claimed that the interaction was in the case of self-defence because the accused threatened the lives of the officers directly.

This development has seen the number of accused who have been arrested or killed during encounters reach eight including Harpinder Singh, another alleged mastermind who was previously killed in another police encounter shortly after the murder. The investigators suspect that the operation was done at the order of foreign-based gangsters that were associated with Lawrence Bishnoi and Dony Bal gangs, a phenomenon that underscores the rising role of global crime syndicates in regional hit and run killings. According to police officials, the case is ongoing to track down any remaining handlers, financiers, and facilitators since the case is still uncovering the deep and dangerous nexus between the local shooters and the overseas gang networks.