Two men have been found guilty by a UK jury of violent disorder and one of possession of a gun following a trial regarding a largescale fight involving machetes and guns which broke out during a circle kabaddi tournament in Derby last summer which hundreds of people had attended.
Their trial at Derby crown court concluded recently. Five others have already pleaded guilty to their involvement, including possessing guns, knives and wounding.All seven will be sentenced at Derby crown court at a later date. Police were called to a field in Alvaston in Derby just before 4pm on Aug 20 last year after reports of shots being fired and people fighting with weapons.
Scores of people were injured when violence broke out between two rival gangs at the kabaddi tournament.
The fight had been preplanned with one group meeting in Brunswick Street, Derby, beforehand. Parminder Singh (25) from West Midlands was convicted of violent disorder and possession of a gun. Court heard that police had located a shoulder bag which contained a loaded semi-automatic pistol. His DNA was found on both the pistol and the bag. He was hit by a bullet in the groin during the incident and had to have it removed during surgery at hospital.
Malkeet Singh (24), from Wolverhampton, was part of the other gang and was also involved with the violence before he was then assaulted and suffered injuries to his head. He was convicted of violent disorder. The others who pleaded guilty were Karamjit Singh (36) from Derby, who pleaded guilty to possession of a knife and violent disorder; Baljit Singh (33) from Wolverhampton, who pleaded guilty to possession of a knife and violent disorder; Hardev Uppal (34) of Tipton, who pleaded guilty to possession of a gun with intent to endanger life and wounding; Jagjit Singh (31) from Wolverhampton, who pleaded guilty to posses sion of a gun with intent to cause fear of violence; and Doodhnath Tripathi (30) of Hounslow, who pleaded guilty to violent disorder and wounding.
The last kabaddi tournament of the England Kabaddi Federation for 2024 season took place near Derby on Aug 4 this year without incident. Everyone who entered Leicester Road Stadium in Hinckley as well as vehicles were searched for weapons, said the organiser and Guru Arjan Dev Gurduwara Khalsa Kabaddi Club, Derby, president Kulvinder Singh Chhokar.
“After last year’s disturbance, the England Kabaddi Federation stepped up efforts to ensure nothing of this sort happens. We used a security detail with expertise of running similar tournaments and we worked closely with police,” he said.