MANSA, May 9 — Navdeep Singh, a 20-year-old gold medalist boxer and kickboxer, was found dead near Arya School on Friday in a case of suspected drug overdose. The incident has sent shockwaves through the local sports community, occurring just as Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann was visiting the city for his state-wide “Shukrana Yatra.”
Police have registered a First Information Report against unidentified persons under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita following a complaint by the athlete’s father, Jaspal Singh. The complainant, a daily wage laborer, stated that his son had succumbed to a drug overdose and demanded immediate legal action against those responsible. Officials from the Mansa City-2 police station declared that an investigation is underway to determine the circumstances leading to the young athlete’s death.
Navdeep Singh was a celebrated figure in the region, having secured gold medals at the state government’s “Khedan Watan Punjab Diyan” in 2024 and the Punjab State Senior Kickboxing Championship last year. Family members said the deceased was the only son of his parents and had recently returned from Ludhiana, where he was employed as an air-conditioner mechanic. He had reportedly gone to the market on Thursday before his body was discovered the following day.
Local activists stated that the tragedy highlights a persistent crisis, noting that narcotics remain accessible despite high-profile government campaigns. Inspector Gurtej Singh asserted that the police are taking the father’s allegations seriously and will conduct a thorough probe into the origin of the substances involved.
