Wrestler shot dead at fair in Sonepat village

A 35-year-old wrestler was shot dead at a fair organised on the occasion of Maha Shivratri at Kundal village in Kharkhoda on Wednesday.

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The deceased has been identified as Rakesh of Sohti village. He was living with his family at Omaxe City in Rohtak. He ran an 'akhara' near Sohti dham in Sohti village.

Chand Singh, uncle of the deceased, in his complaint to the Kharkhoda police, said that they had an old enmity with Manoj, alias Kala, who is a son of his uncle Hawa Singh, and his family over land. He further said that Manoj and his family had also attacked him in July last year and a case was registered in the Kharkhoda police station.

He said that Rakesh, along with his son Amrit and other players, went to participate in wrestling bouts at the fair on Wednesday where hundreds of people had come to witness the event.

He, along with Rakesh and Amrit, were going to their car after Amrit's wrestling bout ended, the complainant said. As they reached near their vehicle, Manoj and his nephew Sahil came there with pistols and opened fire on Rakesh. Rakesh ran towards the road, but the duo chased him and shot at him. Rakesh collapsed on the road after receiving bullet injuries and the assailants managed to flee.

Mehant Suryanath of Sohti Dham took his nephew Rakesh to a private hospital where doctors declared him dead, he said.

He alleged that Manoj, Sahil and their family members had murdered Rakesh due to their property dispute.

Following the complaint, the Kharkhoda police registered a case under various sections of the IPC against Manoj, Sahil and others and began a probe into the matter.

Inspector Bir Singh, SHO, Kharkhoda, said around 7-8 bullets had been fired. He said the post-mortem of the deceased was under way at the Civil Hospital in Sonepat.