Bhubaneswar: The 73rd All India Police Hockey Championship 2025, being held at the Kalinga Stadium Hockey Complex with the support of Odisha Police, witnessed a day of thrilling semi-final encounters on Monday as teams battled for a spot in the finals.
In the women’s category, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) secured a hard-fought 1–0 victory over the Uttar Pradesh Women Police team in the first semi-final, booking their ticket to the championship final. The second semi-final saw Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) edge out hosts Odisha Police 2–1 in a closely contested match, setting up a much-anticipated final showdown with CRPF.
The women’s final will be played on Tuesday at 4 PM.
In the men’s category, Punjab delivered a dominant performance against Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), clinching the match with a commanding 7–2 win. In the other semi-final, CRPF overcame Border Security Force (BSF) with a 3–1 scoreline, securing their place in the final.
The men’s final between Punjab and CRPF will take place on Tuesday at 6 PM.
The championship has not only brought top-tier police hockey talent to Bhubaneswar but has also drawn the presence of senior dignitaries and officials.
Among those in attendance were Director General of Police Yogesh Bahadur Khurania; Principal Secretary of Commerce and Transport Department Usha Padhee; IDCO Director of Operations Bhupinder Singh Poonia; Additional DGP (Headquarters) and Vice Chairman of the Organising Committee Dayal Gangwar; Joint Director, IB, Rajesh Subarna; IGP (Women & Child Crime Division) S. Shyni; and IGP (Training) and Organising Committee Secretary Anup Kumar Sahu.
The officials praised the players’ performances and lauded the efforts of Odisha Police and the organisers for conducting the event seamlessly at an international-standard venue.