Seven men, aged between 24 and 36 years, have been convicted for their involvement in a violent disorder at a kabaddi tournament in Derby.
The incident, which occurred in August last year, involved the use of guns and machetes.
Derbyshire Police reported that multiple people were injured when violence erupted between two groups at the tournament held in Alvaston. Five of the men charged in connection with the disorder had pleaded guilty, while two others—Parminder Singh and Malkeet Singh—were found guilty by a jury last week of violent disorder and possession of a firearm.
All seven men, of Asian origin, are set to be sentenced at Derby Crown Court at a later date.
Detective chief inspector Matt Croome, senior investigating officer at Derbyshire Police, commented on the situation, stating, “What should have been a pleasant day out for people attending a sporting event turned into a huge violent disorder in which multiple people were injured. We know that this incident and the subsequent police investigation had a huge impact on people living in the area as well as those spectators who had attended, and we are very grateful to all who have helped with our enquiries.”
Police were called to Elvaston Lane on 20 August last year after reports of gunfire and people fighting with weapons. The investigation revealed that the confrontation had been pre-planned, with one group meeting beforehand on Brunswick Street, Derby.
In court, it was revealed that Parminder Singh, 25, attended the pre-meeting and was captured on drone footage wearing a face covering and a hood. During the incident, he was seen moving towards a hedge between two fields, where police later found a shoulder bag containing a loaded semi-automatic pistol. His DNA was found on the pistol and the bag. Parminder Singh sustained a gunshot wound to his groin during the altercation, which required surgery to remove the bullet.
The jury also heard that Malkeet Singh, 24, was part of the opposing group involved in the violence. He was assaulted during the event and suffered head injuries.
Detective constable Stevie Barker, who led the investigation, said, “Malkeet Singh and Parminder Singh showed a blatant disregard for the safety of others during this event, so I am pleased they have now been convicted for their part in this very disturbing incident. Hundreds of officers have assisted with this investigation, not just from Derbyshire, but across the country, and I would like to thank them for their work in bringing justice for such a huge disorder.”
The five other men who pleaded guilty to charges include Karamjit Singh, 36, Baljit Singh, 33, Hardev Uppal, 34, Jagjit Singh, 31, and Doodhnath Tripathi, 30. They were convicted of various violent disorder offences, including possession of a bladed article, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, and wounding.
Superintendent Rebecca Webster, head of operations for South Division at Derbyshire Police, added, “We know that the vast majority of people who attended this event did so with good intentions to enjoy a fun family day out. Sadly, this was spoiled when a number of people—many of whom travelled from across the country—arrived with the intention of causing serious harm and disorder to others. This was clearly a very distressing and upsetting incident for all those present on the day, and we’d like to thank them for their cooperation throughout this investigation, as well as praise the local community for their support in the days and weeks that followed, as we know it did have a significant ongoing impact on them.”
Meanwhile, the annual tournament organised by the England Kabaddi Federation, made up of clubs organised by the British Punjabi community, returned to Derby last weekend.
(With inputs from PTI)
Michael Gove
Jeremy Hunt