Expressing grave concern over criminals operating “with impunity” and enjoying a “free run”, the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday asked the Director-General of Police to appear before it to explain steps being taken to stop organised crime in the State after a former kabaddi player was shot dead during a live match in Mohali earlier this month.

The Bench passed the directions while hearing a suo motu public interest litigation concerning glorification of crime and criminals. Taking note of the shooting incident that occurred on December 15 at a stadium in Sector-79, Mohali, the court recorded that “a few criminals had shot dead a former Kabaddi player during a match in a stadium”.

The match, the Bench noted, was being telecast live and CCTV footage showed that several shots were fired by two persons in the presence of about “thousand” spectators. “It appears that no effort was made by any police officer to apprehend the culprits which is deplorable,” the court observed.

The court was informed by Senior Deputy Advocate-General, on instructions from Mohali Superintendent of Police (Investigation) Saurav Jindal that the two shooters had been identified and efforts were on to nab them. Five other accused associated with the crime had already been apprehended. Appearing before the Bench, amicus curiae or the friend of the court submitted “several events were taking place simultaneously without adequate security arrangements” on the day of the kabaddi match.

“The factum of a few criminals armed with pistols entering a stadium, firing several shots and escaping in the presence of thousand spectators and scores of policemen on duty, indicates that the criminals had a free run. There have been several other instances of targeted killings, some of which, have been captured in CCTV footages. It is, therefore, manifest that criminals are operating with impunity, which raises serious questions regarding the law and order situation in the State,” the court observed.

In the backdrop, the Bench directed the DGP to remain present in court on the next date of hearing and also explain why adequate security arrangements were not made in the stadium when the kabaddi match was being witnessed by around a thousand spectators; why the two shooters managed to escape and had not been nabbed till date; and what concrete steps were being taken to prevent such incidents in future.

The court further directed the DGP to place on record the duty roster of police officials deployed at the stadium on the day of the incident. The matter has been listed for further hearing on January 15, 2026.

The Bench was hearing a “court on its own motion” or suo motu case after “known criminal” Lawrence Bishnoi’s in-custody interview “glorifying crime and criminals” was flagged as a matter of grave concern.