In a heartbreaking incident, 26-year-old Khageshwar Rathia, a Kabaddi player from Dudumchua village in Chhattisgarh, died after collapsing on the field during a match in Tarbod village, Nuapada district, on Monday.
Khageshwar was participating in an inter-state Kabaddi tournament organized by the Tarbod Durga Puja Committee when he suddenly fell ill. Quick action by players and organizers led to his immediate transportation to the Tarbod Primary Health Center (PHC), where he received first aid before being transferred to the district headquarters hospital.
Despite efforts to save him, doctors pronounced Khageshwar dead upon arrival at the hospital. The news of his untimely death cast a shadow over the tournament, leaving the community in mourning. There were expectations that the Dudumchua team would win the trophy and prize money of ₹15,000, but the match took a tragic turn as Khageshwar collapsed just before its conclusion.
While the exact cause of his death is yet to be determined, it is suspected he may have suffered a heart attack. The shocking event has deeply affected the villagers and fellow players, who are left to grapple with the loss of a promising athlete.
