Patiala, Jan 11:
Famous wrestler and double bronze medalist in 1974 Tehran Asian Games Sukhchain Singh Cheema was killed in a road accident near Patiala bypass yesterday evening.
The 67-year old wrestler was returning home from his farm in Bhanri village yesterday evening when the accident occurred, police said. The accident took place near Shermajra chowk here.
A car coming from Rajpura side rammed into Cheema’s vehicle, which turned turtle. He succumbed to his injuries in the local hospital.
Cheema, a Dronacharya awardee, is survived by his wife and two sons.
Cheema was the son of ‘Rustum-e-Hind’ wrestler Kesar Singh Cheema. Sukhchain, who was running a Rustem-e-Hind Akhara in Patiala, had bagged double bronze medals during Tehran Asian Games in 1974. He won medals in both freestyle and Greco-Roman style category.
Cheema’s son Palwinder Singh Cheema who is a DSP in Punjab police, was also ‘Rustum-e-Hind’.
Meanwhile, the local government, cultural affairs & tourism minister, Punjab Navjot Singh Sidhu has expressed profound grief at the demise of Cheema.
Condoling the demise, the minister said that Cheema belonged to a family of illustrious sportsmen and his father Rustum-E-Hind Kesar Singh Cheema was an Olympian and son Arjuna Awardee Olympian Palwinder Singh Cheema is a 2002 Commonwealth Games gold medallist in the 120 kg category. PTI
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