A Kabaddi player was fatally shot by unidentified attackers in the Indian city of Mohali during a match, 24NewsHD TV reported on Wednesday.
According to Indian media, the victim has been identified as 30-year-old kabaddi player-cum-promoter Kanwar Digvijay Singh alias Rana Balachauria.
Eyewitnesses said two to three individuals on a motorcycle approached the kabaddi ground under the pretext of taking selfies with the player. Suddenly, they opened fire on Balachouria.
The player was struck by four to five bullets on his face and upper body.
He was rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition but succumbed to his injuries shortly after arrival.
Police officials stated, “The attackers came close to the players under the guise of taking photographs and then began indiscriminate firing. T
The police further claimed that Aishdeep Singh, the mastermind behind the murder of Rana Balachauria, was arrested on Wednesday by the Punjab Police from the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi.
Meanwhile, another key accused in the case, Harpinder Middhi, was killed in an encounter in which two police personnel also sustained injuries.
The notorious Bombiha gang claimed responsibility for the killing of the player on social media, alleging that Rana Balachouria had provided shelter to the killers of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, prompting the attack.
Police said the tussle between different gangsters over the organisation of kabaddi tournaments in Punjab led to the shooting.