Mohali Kabaddi player killing: Key accused shot dead in encounter

Mohali, Dec 17 (PTI) One of the key accused in the killing of a 30-year-old kabaddi player-cum-promoter in Mohali was shot dead here on Wednesday by police in an encounter in which two head constables were also injured.

Harpinder alias Middu, a resident of Naushehra Pannuan in Punjab's Tarn Taran district, was injured in an exchange of fire in Lalru and later succumbed to injuries in hospital, police said.

Mohali Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Harmandeep Hans told reporters that Harpinder, the key accused in the Kabaddi player's murder case, was neutralised in a retaliatory fire by police teams.

He said the police arrested the mastermind in the case, identified as Aishdeep Singh, a resident of Tarn Taran who was currently staying in Russia.

Aishdeep Singh, who came to India on November 25 allegedly on the directions of gangster Dony Bal to execute this murder, was arrested from Delhi Airport when he was planning to escape to Muscat, the SSP said.

The SSP said acting swiftly on the information given by Aishdeep about his accomplice Harpinder, who actively supported the shooters and was supposed to escape along with him, police teams led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Dera Bassi Bikramjit Singh Brar and Inspectors Sumit Mor, Pushvinder Singh and Malkiat Singh conducted a raid on Ambala-Lalru Highway near Jharmal River in Lalru.

Upon seeing the police team, Harpinder opened fire at them, leading to serious bullet injuries to two police personnel -- Head Constables Gulab Singh and Kumar Sharma, he said.

The police retaliated in self-defence during which the suspect was injured and was rushed to Civil Hospital Dera Bassi, where he succumbed to injuries.

SSP Hans said the police have also arrested another accused, identified as Jugraj Singh, with the help of Amritsar Rural Police for his alleged involvement in this case.

"All the accused involved in this case have been identified and raids are being conducted to nab the remaining accused persons." Kanwar Digvijay Singh, alias Rana Balachauria, was shot after he arrived with his team to take part in a private Kabaddi tournament in Mohali on Monday. He was critically injured in the attack and was rushed to the Fortis Hospital in Mohali, where he was declared dead.

The assailants fled on a motorcycle after firing from a .30 bore weapon.

The police had earlier in the day termed Harpinder's arrest as a "major breakthrough" and said he was being treated for injuries suffered in the exchange of fire.

"In a major breakthrough, @sasnagarpolice apprehends Harpinder @ Middu, a resident of Naushehra Pannuan, Tarn Taran, in connection with the recent murder of Kanwar Digvijay Singh @ Rana Balachauria in Mohali. The accused was apprehended following an exchange of fire with the police team," it said in a post on X.

Following the killing of the player, the police had identified two shooters -- Aditya Kapoor alias Makhan and Karan Pathak alias Defaulter Karan, both residents of Amritsar. PTI CHS RT RT