Wrestling instructor shoots five dead at Rohtak ‘akhara’

Five people were killed and two others sustained injuries after a wrestling instructor opened fire in Haryana’s Rohtak late on February 12, the police said.

The police said personal enmity could be the reason behind the incident, in which a wrestling coach of a private college in Rohtak lost his life, among others.

“Five people have been killed in the incident last [Friday] night. Two others are undergoing treatment, and one of them is critical,” Rahul Sharma Superintendent of Police, Rohtak, told The Hindu.

“At the private college, which has an akhara [wrestling centre], three people had been appointed as coaches and physical instructor. One of them, Sukhwinder, the main accused, was shunted out from his job on account of a complaint against him. Anguished, the accused opened fire on his colleagues at the akhara, which is situated inside the gymnasium,” Mr. Sharma said.

Sukhwinder was arrested by the Haryana and Delhi Police in a joint operation police on February 13.

Rahul Sharma, Superintendent of Police, Rohtak told The Hindu that Haryana Police shared information on the possible location of the accused with the Delhi Police after which they arrested him from Samaypur Badli area in Delhi.   “The accused is currently in custody of Delhi Police. We will be taking his custody in a day or two,” he said.  

A Special Investigation Team was set-up to investigate the matter earlier in the day and a reward of Rs. 1 lakh announced for sharing any information of the main accused.  

Police said personal enmity could be the reason behind the incident, which took place at an ‘akhara’ [wrestling centre] of a private college. Those killed included Manoj Malik, a wrestling coach, his wife Sakshi Malik and three other wrestlers. The injured included a four-year-old son of the Maliks.

Before the arrest Mr. Sharma said, “The incident took place at a private college, which has an ‘akhara’. Sukhwinder, the main accused, had been working as a wrestling coach at the college’s gymnasium, and he was shunted out by Manoj Malik from his job on a complaint against him. Apparently anguished, the accused resorted to open fire on his colleagues at the ‘akhara’.”