Personal Life:
Sandeep Singh Sandhu, also known as Sandeep Nangal Ambien or Gladiator (circa 1983 – 14 March 2022), was a British-Indian Kabaddi player who played the role of stopper. He was from Nangal Ambian village in Shahkot and got his stage name Nangal Ambian, which reflects his place of birth.
Family:
His wife’s name is Rupinder Sandhu. He had two sons. His brother’s name is Gurjeet Sandhu.
Education:
He received his early education in Mata Punjab Kaur Public School, Nangal Ambia, Punjab. He received his college education at Guru Nanak Dev University, Punjab.
Career:
He represented both India and the United Kingdom in international Kabaddi matches. He also captained both the India and UK Kabaddi teams. He settled in West Brom, UK, around 2007. Sandeep was also known for his efforts to eliminate the problem of drug abuse and drug menace among the youth through sports. He started his career by playing state-level matches and was known as 'Gladiator'.He began his playing career by playing state-level matches before turning professional. He has participated in various Kabaddi leagues in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, the United States, and Australia. He captained the Singhs team in the inaugural edition of the World Kabaddi League in 2014, and under his captaincy, the Singhs emerged as champions after defeating favourites Khalsa Warriors 58–55 in a closely contested match. He also won the Player of the Final award in the final of the 2014 World Kabaddi League tournament for his all-around performance. In the 2016 season, Sandeep Bhagat Singh played for the Abbotsford Kabaddi Club, being part of a famous stop line. This set a record of winning eight out of ten tournaments in British Columbia. He also served as the President of the Major League Kabaddi Federation as well as the President of the Shahkot Lions Kabaddi Cup.
He was assassinated by unidentified gunmen on 14 March 2022 at Mallian Khurd, outside Jalandhar, Punjab, while he was on a family visit from the UK to his native country, India, to watch a Kabaddi tournament in his hometown.
Death:
He was reportedly shot dead while watching a local friendly Kabaddi match as part of the Kabaddi Cup around 6 pm.
It was revealed that around 20 rounds of bullets were fired at his head and chest.
It is believed that his murder may be related to the ongoing dispute between him and the club members ever since he took the oath as the president of the Major League Kabaddi Federation. However, some believe he was murdered by a drug mafia to silence him and prevent him from keeping the sport free of drugs, or maybe due to a dispute with a gangster group.
