Recent killings of individuals associated with kabaddi in Punjab highlight the sport's transformation into a high-stakes business. Once a rural pastime, kabaddi now involves significant money, betting syndicates, rival federations, and gangsters. This shift began in the late 1990s with increasing cash prizes and sponsorship from local businesses and NRIs, despite a past drug racket scandal. The sport's lucrative nature has attracted criminal elements, leading to violence and underscoring a complex entanglement of sports, business, and crime.