From Mohali to Howrah: How Punjab Police nabbed shooters of Kabaddi promoter Rana Balachauria from Bengal

In addition, Akash, a close relative of foreign-based handler Amar Khabe Rajputa, has also been apprehended.

All arrested people will be brought to Punjab for further investigation, a senior police officer said. “Efforts are ongoing to identify and apprehend remaining associates to completely unravel the case,” he added.

The Punjab Police said earlier that the killing of Rana Balachauria was primarily linked to rivalry for control and dominance over lucrative kabaddi tournaments.

Shortly after the murder, Dony Bal claimed responsibility through social media posts, calling it “revenge” for Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala’s 2022 killing and alleging Rana sheltered the singer’s killers. Dony Bal-Prabh Dasuwal gang alleged Rana Balachauria was close to gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria.

The police largely dismissed the Moosewala revenge angle as a cover narrative.

An alleged planner of the killing, Harpinder Singh alias Middu, was killed in a police encounter in Mohali’s Lalru area on December 17, 2025. Another alleged mastermind, Aishdeep Singh, linked to Dony Bal, was also arrested at Delhi airport.

Taking serious note of the deteriorating law and order situation and repeated targeted killings in public places, the Punjab and Haryana High Court took suo motu cognisance of the Rana Balachauria murder.

This happened during the resumed hearing of an earlier suo motu petition initiated in 2023 regarding gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s interviews that allegedly glorified crime.

The high court summoned the Punjab DGP to appear in person on January 15. The court demanded a detailed explanation from the Punjab Government regarding security arrangements at the tournament venue, the number of police personnel present/deployed, steps taken to curb gangster culture, extortion, targeted killings, and the glorification of crime in Punjab.

The court strongly observed that “criminals are having a free run” and expressed concern over recurring incidents despite previous affidavits submitted by police on anti-gangster measures.