Women Kabaddi team's bus catches fire, two killed

Bathinda (Punjab): Two people were killed when a bus carrying the women Kabaddi team representing India in the ongoing World Cup caught fire Thursday after colliding with an army truck near this Punjab town, police said.

Police officers said the victims included the driver of the bus and the driver of a Punjab Police Gypsy which was piloting the team bus.

Five-six members of the women team were said to be critical after receiving injuries in the accident which occurred on the outskirts of this town.

Passers-by pulled out the team members from the burning bus.

However, the bus driver got trapped in his seat and was burnt to death.

The army truck, which belonged to the cantonment here, also caught fire after the accident.

Eye-witnesses told the police that the army truck and the police Gypsy first collided and the truck then went on to hit the team bus. Both vehicles caught fire immediately.

The women team players, who had been practising in Bathinda since three days, were being taken to Badal village, 40 km from here, for a dinner engagement with Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

Badal is the native village of the chief minister.

The second Kabaddi World Cup is being played at various places across Punjab. The women's event is being held for the first time with teams from India, Turkmenistan, US and Britain participating. — IANS

India win sixth Asian Games gold in men's kabaddi

Guangzhou: Barely hours after Indian women's kabaddi team made a memorable Asian Games debut by clinching the gold, their male counterparts recorded their sixth consecutive yellow metal in the quadrennial event with a comfortable victory over Iran, here today.

In pic: Indian Kabaddi team

The Indian men's team, who clinched the gold in every editionof the quadrennial event since the game's introduction in 1990, managed to prevail over Iran 37-20 at the Nansha Gymnasium here. India led 24-3 at half-time after Iran failed to secure a single lona against India's four. The Indians also got a couple of bonus points in the opening half.

However, after the crossover, Iran was the better side on display and managed to dominate the proceedings, bagging 17 points as against India's 13. But it was not enough to earn them a gold as overall India proved to be a better side with six lonas against two of their opponents and 28 outs to stamp their supremacy in the sport.

Indian women's kabaddi gets Asian Games gold

Guangzhou: The Indian women's kabaddi team completed a memorable Asian Games debut by clinching the gold medal with a comprehensive win over Thailand in the finals here today. The Indians beat Thailand 28-14 in a dominating performance to clinch the inaugural women's kabaddi gold of the Asian Games.

In pic: The Indian women Kabaddi team

The Indians led 17-7 at half-time after Thailand failed to secure a single lona against India's two. The Indian team also got a couple of bonus points in the opening half. The second half followed a similar script and India once again dominated by securing a couple of lonas and getting 20 outs to emerge triumphant.