CHENNAI: On a quiet Sunday, a routine shooting practice session turned into an ugly wrestling contest at Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi. Two shooters — Babar Khan and Yoginder Pal Singh — got into a fight at the shotgun range after a heated argument regarding the scheduling of rounds.
National Rifle Association of India (NRAI), the national shooting governing body, said that the breach of discipline has forced Sports Authority of India (SAI) to cancel their membership. The federation has requested NRAI’s Athlete Commission to launch an inquiry into the incident.
The commission is headed by former international shooter Morad Ali Khan, and also comprises Ashok Mittal, Vikram Batnagar, Anuja Jung and Sonia Rai. “I have been informed that SAI has cancelled their membership. We have referred the matter to Athletes Commission. They’ll duly take the necessary steps,” NRAI secretary Rajiv Bhatia said.
A video of the brawl was doing rounds on social media. It showed one shooter throwing punches, and fellow shooters struggling to restrain them and diffuse the situation.
With the national camp going on, there are space and time constraints for non-campers. Karni Singh Range is a property of SAI, and shooters are allowed to use the facility under SAI’s “pay and play” scheme.