Three young athletes were brutally attacked with sharp-edged weapons by a group of 20–25 youths near Shri Guru Nanak Stadium in Kapurthala on Tuesday evening. The players—identified as Gaurav, Lovepreet Singh, and Vishal Kumar—were returning home after their practice session when they were suddenly surrounded and assaulted.
Two of them suffered serious injuries and were rushed to the civil hospital, while the third athlete sustained minor wounds. Police, led by the area SHO, immediately reached the spot and initiated an investigation.
Gaurav, a national-level taekwondo player from Lahori Gate, stated that the attack occurred around 6:30 pm when the trio was travelling home on a scooty. The assailants, armed with sharp weapons, sticks and iron knuckle dusters, launched an unprovoked assault. While the motive remains unclear, Gaurav recalled a brief argument with a few youths at the stadium the previous Sunday, which may be connected.
Lovepreet Singh, an athlete from Mohabbat Nagar who recently won a silver medal in Thailand, suffered minor injuries in the incident. Vishal Kumar, a kabaddi player from Arfaan Wala, was also among the victims.
SHO Amandeep Nahar confirmed that statements of the injured athletes are being recorded and a detailed investigation is underway. Further action will be taken based on their accounts.
