Repeated killings reveal how Punjab’s traditional sport is increasingly entangled with organised crime.
Rana Balachauria, a Kabaddi promoter, was shot dead in Mohali amid rising violence and gang-linked disputes in Punjab’s kabaddi scene (Photo: File)
CHANDIGARH: The killing of Kabaddi player-turned-promoter Rana Balachauria in Mohali has once again brought focus on how Punjab's traditional sport has become entangled with organised crime, gang rivalries and alleged foreign-based handlers keeping watch over the sport's money driven leagues. Kanwar Digvijay Singh, popularly known as Rana Balachauria, was shot dead during a Kabaddi tournament in Sohana, Mohali, on December 15. The attack, carried out in broad daylight, sent shockwaves through the Kabaddi fraternity and highlighted growing concerns over safety at sporting events.
Senior police officers say Kabaddi tournaments have increasingly become vulnerable to criminal interference, with gangs seeking control over sponsorship money, player participation and league operations. Investigators have also pointed to the role of foreign-based handlers, particularly those operating from Canada, who allegedly coordinate threats, extortion and violence through local operatives.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, while speaking on the state's crackdown against organised crime, has repeatedly maintained that the present situation is the result of long-standing criminal networks nurtured over years, and that his government is focused on dismantling them.
The Mohali killing fits into a disturbing pattern of violence linked to Kabaddi over the past few years. In March 2022, International Kabaddi player Sandeep Singh Sandhu, also known as Sandeep Nagal Ambian, was gunned down during a tournament in Jalandhar. In October 2025, 25-year-old Kabaddi player Tejpal Singh was shot dead in Jagraon, Ludhiana, following a dispute that turned violent. Days later, on November 11, 2025, Kabaddi player Gurvinder Singh was killed in Samrala, Ludhiana, with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang later claiming responsibility through social media.
Police officials say these killings point to an emerging pattern where the sport has become a soft target for gangs due to the large sums of cash involved and weak regulation. Investigators say Balachauria's killing also appears to be driven by similar turf wars and financial rivalries. A social media post claiming responsibility alleged that he had links with Jaggu Bhagwanpuria and Lawrence Bishnoi and accused him of assisting those involved in the 2022 murder of singer Sidhu Moosewala.
Police have not verified these claims and say the post is being examined as part of the ongoing probe. Moosewala was shot dead in May 2022 by six assailants. Two of them were later killed in a police encounter, while others fled abroad. Police records had earlier shown that some of the shooters hid in parts of Punjab, including areas near Balachaur, leading to suspicions of local assistance at the time. Officials, however, stress that no direct link between Balachauria and the Moosewala case has been established so far.
In a significant development in the Balachauria murder case, the SAS Nagar district police neutralised a key accused during an encounter in Lalru on Wednesday. The action was taken amid the ongoing drive to improve law and order in the state. Senior Superintendent of Police SAS Nagar, Harmandeep Hans, said the accused was identified as Harpinder Singh alias Middhi, a resident of Naushehra Pannuan in Tarn Taran district. Middhi was injured in retaliatory firing by police teams and later succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. Two police personnel, Head Constables Gulab Singh and Kumar Sharma, sustained bullet injuries during the encounter and were hospitalised.
According to the police, teams acted on information provided by the prime accused, Arshdeep Singh of Tarn Taran, who was described as the mastermind of the murder. Arshdeep Singh had been staying in Russia and allegedly returned to India on November 25 on the directions of gangster Donny Bal to execute the killing. He was arrested at the Delhi airport while allegedly attempting to flee to Muscat.
Following his arrest, police teams led by DSP Dera Bassi Bikramjit Singh Brar and inspectors Sumit Mor, Pushvinder Singh and Malkiat Singh conducted a raid at a location identified by Arshdeep Singh on the Ambala-Lalru highway near the Jharmal river. During the operation, Harpinder Middhi allegedly opened fire at the police party, prompting retaliation in self-defence.
SSP Harmandeep Hans said another accused, Jugraj Singh, has also been arrested with the help of Amritsar Rural Police. He added that all accused involved in the case have been identified and raids are underway to apprehend the remaining suspects, including the shooters who are still absconding. Police are also examining claims made in a social media post that surfaced after the murder, which alleged links between Balachauria and rival gang networks. Officials have not confirmed the authenticity of the claims and say the investigation will be driven strictly by evidence.
With multiple Kabaddi-linked killings over a short span, law enforcement agencies say the challenge lies not just in arresting shooters on the ground, but in breaking the wider criminal networks, including those operating from abroad, that are increasingly influencing the sport in Punjab.
