A kabaddi player was shot dead in Manki village of Samrala in Punjab's Ludhiana district late yesterday night, days after the murder of another player Tejpal in Jagraon.

Police said four masked assailants on motorcycles unleashed a hail of bullets on kabaddi player Gurwinder Singh (23) and his companions Dharamveer and Lovepreet Singh last night. CCTV footage from the area captured the shooters fleeing the scene, police added.

Both Gurwinder and Dharamveer sustained gunshot wounds and were rushed to Samrala Civil Hospital before being referred to PGIMER, Chandigarh. Gurwinder succumbed to his injuries on the way, while Dharamveer remains hospitalized. Lovepreet escaped unhurt.

Eyewitnesses said the trio had gathered near a medical store while preparing for a community event when the attackers arrived and opened fire without warning. Police recovered several empty cartridges from the scene and have launched an investigation.

Senior officers, including SP (D) Khanna Pawanjit and DSP Samrala Karamjit Singh Grewal, reached the site and are examining CCTV footage to identify the culprits.

Police said a case has been registered and multiple angles are being probed, including possible personal rivalry.

Local residents described Gurwinder as an active kabaddi player who regularly participated in local and district-level tournaments. His body has been kept at the Samrala Civil Hospital mortuary for postmortem.