A kabaddi player and promoter, Rana Balachauria, also known, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen as he and his team arrived to participate in a tournament in Mohali, PTI reported, citing police.
"We are deeply saddened to confirm that Mr Kanwar Digvijay Singh, a 30-year-old Kabaddi player, was brought to Fortis Hospital Mohali at 6:05 PM on 15th December 2025 with gunshot injuries. Despite immediate clinical assessment, he was declared brought dead,” ANI quoted Fortis Hospital Mohali.
The incident occurred in Sohana, Mohali at around 5:30 pm, where a private kabaddi tournament had been ongoing for several days.
Balachauria sustained gunshot injuries to the head and face and was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, HT reported.
How many attackers were involved?
SSP Hans told reporters that the assailants were two to three in number, and carried out the attack before quickly fleeing the scene on a motorcycle. The attackers are yet to be identified as the investigation is ongoing in the case.
Some eyewitnesses gave their statements to the police, stating that the attackers approached Rana on the pretext of clicking selfies but opened fire within some time.
The tournament was being held in a packed ground with large crowd in attendance. According to officials, a well-known Punjabi singer Mankirat Aulakh was also scheduled to attend the evening matches and give away prizes.
Just when Rana reached the ground, the kabaddi player was stopped by the attackers who requested for a selfie and was later shot.
Eyewitnesses recall moments of panic
Eyewitnesses also claimed that a group of men arrived at the venue in a Bolero vehicle, and then opened fire as the teams were entering the field.
According to police, the match was in progress when the bullets were fired by the assailants. The sudden attack sent players and spectators scrambling for cover. The sound of the shooting was also captured in the live recording of the match.
“We first thought firecrackers were being burst,” an eyewitness said, referring to the gunshots. To scare the spectators, the attackers also fired in the air, he said in a statement to the police.
According to Hindustan Times, a case has been registered following the incident, and investigations are underway to determine the motive behind the shooting.
