2nd Kabaddi Player Killed In A Week In Punjab, Bishnoi Gang Claims Responsibility

A kabaddi player has been killed less than a week after a similar murder that shook the Ludhiana district in Punjab last week. Gurwinder Singh was killed in the Samrala block, with the notorious Lawrence Bishnoi gang claiming responsibility. The killing was carried out by Karan Madpur and Tej Chak and the responsibility has been taken by Hari Boxer and Arzoo Bishnoi of the Bishnoi gang, claimed a social media post from a handle using the name of Anmol Bishnoi, Lawrence Bishnoi's brother.

It also issued a threat to the "enemies" of the Bishnoi gang.

"This is a warning for whoever sides with our enemies. Either mend your ways or be ready for the next bullet to pierce your chest," the post read. "Either step back, or we know how to wipe you out."

Kabaddi And Crime

Singh is the 10th kabaddi player to be murdered since 2016 in Punjab, with sources linking the sport to the world of crime, drug mafia, and gangsters.

With Kabaddi has become a symbol of money, and power in Punjab over the years, it has been infiltrated by gangsters and the drug mafia. Its popularity among expatriates in Canada, UK, and Australia drew millions into the games from abroad and unaccounted, that helped many players amass wealth and foreign connections alike.

In some cases, money from the drug trade was found to be invested in these games, sources said. Many players developed contact with local leaders and gangsters, some even taking sides in disputes that led to targeted attacks and attempts on their lives.

Last Kabaddi Player's Murder

National-level kabaddi player Tejpal Singh, 26, was thrashed by a group of men before he was shot in the chest last Friday. No gang had claimed responsibility for his killing. Two suspects, Gagandeep Singh and Harpreet Singh alias Honey, have been arrested, with a senior officer suggesting that an old personal rivalry could be behind the murder.