Haryana’s pride and shame converged when a gold medallist, celebrated once for bringing the state glory, was killed defending the honour of its women.
Rohit Dhankhar, an international para-weightlifting athlete from Rohtak, was allegedly killed after he objected to a group of youths harassing girls at a wedding venue in Bhiwani village.
Police have begun an investigation, and the family has demanded the arrest of all those involved, calling the assault “planned murder”.
The 26-year-old had travelled from Humayunpur village to attend a wedding with his friend Jatin.
Rohit and Jatin had joined the baraat late at night. According to family members, several men in the procession began misbehaving with the women present.
A man, reportedly identified as Rahul, allegedly drunk, made derogatory remarks. Rohit intervened. There was a brief argument. But guests intervened and the situation cooled.
Rohit and Jatin left after the ceremony. They were in a car, heading home when a group of armed men surrounded them on the road, the family said.
Around 20 individuals carried sticks and weapons. Jatin managed to escape but the group caught Rohit and assaulted him.
“There wasn’t a single part of his body without injury marks,” a family member said according to reports.
When the attackers fled, Jatin returned, found Rohit unconscious, and took him to a local hospital.
Doctors referred him to PGIMS Rohtak. He was admitted in critical condition and died there despite attempts to stabilise him.
Police in Bhiwani conducted a post-mortem after the family filed a complaint. The investigation is ongoing.
Rohit’s brother-in-law, Ravi Khassa, and his uncle, Satish Dhana, said the assault appeared deliberate. “This was a planned murder. He stood up for the dignity of women and paid with his life,” they said to the media.
The killing comes amid renewed scrutiny of women’s safety in Haryana.
According to data shared in the Haryana legislative assembly in March, the state reported three murders, three rapes and gang rapes, more than nine kidnappings, one robbery, and almost 19 crimes against women every day during 2024, reported the Times of India.
Chief minister Nayab Singh Saini, who provided the figures, noted that the state recorded 9,488 cases of crimes against women last year, alongside 966 murders, 1,388 rapes, 113 gang rapes, 4,621 kidnappings, and 489 robberies.
Saini stressed that incidents of rape had fallen by 23.3 per cent and gang rapes by 19.8 per cent compared to 2023.
Rohit had built his life around sport and training. Family members said he was an international medalist who won two gold medals in 2018. That same year, he was honoured during the Independence Day ceremony by former chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar.
He worked as a trainer at the Gymkhana Club in Rohtak.
The club confirmed he was respected by the athletes he coached. He had prepared for upcoming events and had spoken about expanding training facilities for para-athletes in the district.