MOHALI: Karan ‘Defaulter’ Pathak, the main shooter in the murder of kabaddi player-promoter Rana Balachauriya a month ago, was gunned down in an encounter in Mohali after escaping from custody, police said. Pathak escaped Friday night in spite of being handcuffed, triggering a desperate search.After seven hours, Pathak, the main shooter, was traced to a location on Airport Road, close to his native village in Kharar. Challenged, he allegedly fired at police, who fired back, fatally wounding him.
Pathak was arrested from Bengal, on Monday and kept at Crime Investigation Agency staff headquarters. Mohali SSP Harmandeep Singh Hans said Pathak complained of chest pain Friday night.A police team was taking him to a hospital when he began scuffling with the cops, causing the vehicle to crash into a road divider. When cops got out of the vehicle, Pathak allegedly freed himself and sprinted away.Police received information that Pathak was hiding near his native village in Mullanpur. When a team went to the location and tried to surround him, he allegedly tried to escape and began firing at police.Police said the accused fired six to seven rounds, during which a policeman suffered a bullet wound. In retaliatory firing, Pathak was hit.
