Three men allegedly linked to the Dony Bal gang have been arrested in Kolkata in connection with the murder of Punjab kabaddi player Rana Balachauria. The arrests followed an extensive multi-state manhunt conducted by the Punjab Police Special Task Force and came nearly a month after the alleged mastermind of the crime was killed in a police encounter in Punjab.
The three accused—Karan Pathak, Tarandeep Singh, and Akashdeep Singh, all residents of Punjab—were apprehended by the Kolkata Police in the Howrah area after specific intelligence inputs were shared by the Punjab Police STF. Officials said the arrests were made outside Howrah railway station during the night, just as the suspects were preparing to flee the city by train.
According to investigators, the trio had travelled from Gangtok to Kolkata in an attempt to evade arrest. Acting on information that the accused were on the move, Kolkata Police laid a trap and intercepted them before they could escape. Punjab Police had been tracking their movements across multiple locations, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, parts of West Bengal, Siliguri, and other areas of Sikkim before confirming their presence in Kolkata.
Police officials said Karan Pathak was the shooter who opened fire on Balachauria, while Tarandeep Singh allegedly rode the motorcycle used in the attack. Akashdeep Singh is accused of arranging shelter and logistical support for the assailants after the murder. Investigators said all three men are associated with the Dony Bal gang, which is believed to have links beyond India’s borders.
Rana Balachauria was shot dead on December 15 during a kabaddi match in Mohali. Police said the attackers approached him on a motorcycle under the pretext of taking a selfie and then fired four to five bullets at close range, killing him on the spot.
Two days after the murder, Punjab Police killed the alleged mastermind, Harpinder Singh, in an encounter. Officials said Harpinder, a resident of Tarn Taran, opened fire at a police team with a pistol and was critically injured when police retaliated. He later died while undergoing treatment at a hospital.
Earlier, another accused, Aishdeep Singh, was arrested at Delhi airport. Investigators said he had allegedly flown in from Moscow to help plan the crime and was attempting to travel to Muscat when he was detained. Based on his disclosures, Harpinder Singh was traced. Police believe Aishdeep Singh was in contact with Dony Bal, who is suspected to be operating from abroad.
The arrests drew political reactions, with AAP leader Baltej Singh Pannu saying the action sent a strong message that those acting as foot soldiers for criminal gangs would not escape the law. The murder had earlier triggered criticism from opposition parties, with BJP and Congress leaders accusing the AAP-led Punjab government of failing to maintain law and order. Police said further investigation is ongoing to identify the full network involved in the crime and to trace any remaining associates.
