Canada-based man behind murder of international kabaddi player Sandeep: Police

International kabaddi player Sandeep Nangal Ambia was murdered at the behest of Canada-based Snover Dhillon, who was running the National Kabaddi Federation of Ontario, over professional rivalry, the Punjab police claimed on Saturday.

Sandeep was shot dead by five unidentified assailants during an ongoing Kabaddi match in village Mallian in Jalandhar on March 14. Nearly a dozen people including Dhillon have been booked in the case. Police came to know about the alleged involvement of Dhillon after it brought four history-sheeters, who are facing over 20 criminal cases - mostly of murder and attempt to murder, on production warrants from different jails and questioned them.

The four - Fateh Singh alias Yuvraj, a resident of Sangrur; Kaushal Chaudhary of Naharpur Roopa in Gurugram, Haryana, Amit Dagar of village Maheshpur Palvan in Haryana and Simranjeet Singh alias Jujhar Singh - gangster of village Madhopur Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh- have been arrested in the case.

Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab VK Bhawra said during interrogation Fateh Singh disclosed that Snover Dhillon had tried to convince many players to join 'The National Kabaddi Federation of Ontario', but most of the renowned players were associated with 'Major League Kabaddi' being managed by Sandeep, rendering Dhillon's federation unsuccessful.

Senior Superintendent of Police Jalandhar Rural Satinder Singh told reporters that Fateh "confessed" that following instruction from Snover Dhillon, he along with Amit Dagar, Kaushal Chaudhary, Jagjit Singh, Lucky Patiyal and Sukha Duneke had arranged shooters to eliminate Sandeep. Fateh also admitted to having pressured some players to join Snover's federation. Snover Dhillon, a native of Amritsar, is currently residing in Brampton, Ontario, Canada and is a producer and director at Canadian Sath TV and radio show, said police.

Police also booked Sukhwinder Singh alias Sukha Duneke, a native of village Duneke, Moga and residing in Canada for the last few years, and Jagjit Singh alias Gandhi, a native of Dehlon, Ludhiana and residing in Malaysia at present, for conspiring to kill the player. He said Simranjeet alias Jujhar on the directions of Sukh Duneke had provided a hideout to the shooters at the house of his relative identified as Swaran Singh at Pritam Enclave in Amritsar. The police recovered 18 live cartridges and a 12 bore rifle from Swaran's house. Consequently, Swaran Singh, who is absconding, has also been named in the case.

The SSP said that the shooters have also been identified and will be arrested soon.