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LONDON: Four men have been arrested following large-scale violence during a circle kabaddi tournament in Derby at which gunshots were fired and men were seen fighting with swords, rods and machetes.
Four inured people were taken to hospital, one in serious condition.
Armed police swarmed Bridle Gate Lane, Alvaston, just before 4 pm local time on Sunday in response to the brawl.
Derbyshire police said on Monday that four men aged 24, 28, 30 and 38 had been arrested on suspicion of possession of a firearm and violent disorder and remain in police custody.
Videos circulating on social media showed around 50 masked men brandishing large rods, huge swords, knives and machetes turning up en masse near food stalls serving samosas and pakoras. They then started fighting with other men. Another shows a group of around six men surrounding a man on the ground and repeatedly hacking at him with huge swords and knives while he lies helpless, covered in blood and screaming for help. He had reportedly been first shot. Another shows hundreds of people fleeing through a car park as gunshots are fired and men race around with knives and swords.
Yellow Khalistan flags could be seen on flag poles at the event. The tournament was organized by the England Kabaddi Federation (EKF), which describes itself as “the official governing body of kabaddi in the UK as recognized by the Home Office”. Sixteen UK kabaddi clubs are affiliated with it. The violence happened during its summer tournament of 12 fixtures, the next fixture of which is in Southall on August 27.
A statement on behalf of EKF from its general secretary, Surinder Singh Manak, said the individuals involved did not get past the crowd barriers protecting the pitch. “While it was a horrific and terrifying incident no bystander (player, official or spectator) was in any way attacked or involved. Initial unconfirmed enquiries indicate that it was a pre-arranged fight between rival gangs based in Midlands,” Manak said. “EKF wishes to emphasise that the gangs in question do not have any links or connections with any EKF affiliated club or its members,” Manak added.
Kulvinder Singh, vice-president, Guru Arjan Dev Gurdwara Kabaddi Club, Derby, which co-organised the tournament with EKF, told TOI: “It was an amazing day for the teams, sponsors, supporters and real fans of kabaddi. Spoilt by mindless individuals that ruined everything we stand for. I can only apologise to the great spectators… I can only hope the police use every means possible to bring these evil criminals to justice.”
Professional kabaddi player Manga Mithapuria Power wrote on Facebook: “Once again another kabaddi tournament in Derby has been ruined! This appalling behaviour is not acceptable. If this kind of behaviour continues then our mother game is over.”
Punjab-born Ashok Das, president of the England Kabaddi Association, which plays rectangular kabaddi, told TOI: “It worries me aswe are also called kabaddi.Sports means peace, harmony. If people are frightened of sport, where can they go … I am worried this will put this young generation off kabaddi.”
This is not the first time there has been violence at a circle kabaddi event in the UK. In May 2007 Jaswinder Singh Sahota, from West Bromwich, was jailed after waving a three-and-a-half-foot-long sword at a kabaddi tournament in Gravesend and chopping off the fingers of a security guard.
In 2016 the home office had clamped down on visas for non-EU kabaddi players to come and play for the England Kabaddi Federation. Until that point around 100 professional players had come every year from India and Punjab. But in 2019 the situation got resolved.
A British kabaddi fantold TOI, “You don’t see any ladies at the circle kabaddi events. They bring booze and enjoy it. Now it has become a platform for selling drugs — opium. They call it afeem. It’s something commonly eaten in Punjab. There are many drugs that professional circle kabaddi players in India use to give themselves power to win. Many illegal immigrants come to these UK kabaddi events. They carry swords in their cars and no one checks. The security was inadequate on Sunday. They should have police there. They were shooting people with guns and people lay down on the ground and were terrified.”
Four inured people were taken to hospital, one in serious condition.
Armed police swarmed Bridle Gate Lane, Alvaston, just before 4 pm local time on Sunday in response to the brawl.
Derbyshire police said on Monday that four men aged 24, 28, 30 and 38 had been arrested on suspicion of possession of a firearm and violent disorder and remain in police custody.
Videos circulating on social media showed around 50 masked men brandishing large rods, huge swords, knives and machetes turning up en masse near food stalls serving samosas and pakoras. They then started fighting with other men. Another shows a group of around six men surrounding a man on the ground and repeatedly hacking at him with huge swords and knives while he lies helpless, covered in blood and screaming for help. He had reportedly been first shot. Another shows hundreds of people fleeing through a car park as gunshots are fired and men race around with knives and swords.
Yellow Khalistan flags could be seen on flag poles at the event. The tournament was organized by the England Kabaddi Federation (EKF), which describes itself as “the official governing body of kabaddi in the UK as recognized by the Home Office”. Sixteen UK kabaddi clubs are affiliated with it. The violence happened during its summer tournament of 12 fixtures, the next fixture of which is in Southall on August 27.
A statement on behalf of EKF from its general secretary, Surinder Singh Manak, said the individuals involved did not get past the crowd barriers protecting the pitch. “While it was a horrific and terrifying incident no bystander (player, official or spectator) was in any way attacked or involved. Initial unconfirmed enquiries indicate that it was a pre-arranged fight between rival gangs based in Midlands,” Manak said. “EKF wishes to emphasise that the gangs in question do not have any links or connections with any EKF affiliated club or its members,” Manak added.
Kulvinder Singh, vice-president, Guru Arjan Dev Gurdwara Kabaddi Club, Derby, which co-organised the tournament with EKF, told TOI: “It was an amazing day for the teams, sponsors, supporters and real fans of kabaddi. Spoilt by mindless individuals that ruined everything we stand for. I can only apologise to the great spectators… I can only hope the police use every means possible to bring these evil criminals to justice.”
Professional kabaddi player Manga Mithapuria Power wrote on Facebook: “Once again another kabaddi tournament in Derby has been ruined! This appalling behaviour is not acceptable. If this kind of behaviour continues then our mother game is over.”
Punjab-born Ashok Das, president of the England Kabaddi Association, which plays rectangular kabaddi, told TOI: “It worries me aswe are also called kabaddi.Sports means peace, harmony. If people are frightened of sport, where can they go … I am worried this will put this young generation off kabaddi.”
This is not the first time there has been violence at a circle kabaddi event in the UK. In May 2007 Jaswinder Singh Sahota, from West Bromwich, was jailed after waving a three-and-a-half-foot-long sword at a kabaddi tournament in Gravesend and chopping off the fingers of a security guard.
In 2016 the home office had clamped down on visas for non-EU kabaddi players to come and play for the England Kabaddi Federation. Until that point around 100 professional players had come every year from India and Punjab. But in 2019 the situation got resolved.
A British kabaddi fantold TOI, “You don’t see any ladies at the circle kabaddi events. They bring booze and enjoy it. Now it has become a platform for selling drugs — opium. They call it afeem. It’s something commonly eaten in Punjab. There are many drugs that professional circle kabaddi players in India use to give themselves power to win. Many illegal immigrants come to these UK kabaddi events. They carry swords in their cars and no one checks. The security was inadequate on Sunday. They should have police there. They were shooting people with guns and people lay down on the ground and were terrified.”
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