Railway Defeat Police for Department Hockey Title

Hyderabad :Amandeep Lakhra powered Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) to a comfortable 4-1 win over All India Police Sports Control Board to emerge champions of the 6th Hockey India Senior Men Inter-Department National Championship 2026 at the Gachibowli Hockey Stadium in Hyderabad on Monday.

Railway, who have been impregnable in the tournament, once again displayed their class in the final. They showed no mercy to the Police team, who too have had a good outing in the championship. Police, who had defeated last year’s runners-up Comptroller & Auditor General of India (CAG) in the semifinal, were unable to reproduce that same quality of play.

Though they managed to run the Railway team ragged in the first half of the final, they faded out in the next half as Railway steamrolled past them to glory.

The first half was a tough contest as Police matched wits with the Railway team and kept them on a tight leash. It took Railway almost 20 minutes to find the first goal. Atul Deep struck in the 20th minute to put his side 1-0 up as Railway went into the break in a happy frame of mind.

Upon resumption, Police began to make their moves and one such raid resulted in a goal. Shubham equalized for the Police team in the 36th minute but, thereafter, they could do nothing to stop Railway.

A stung Railway responded immediately as Rohit struck in the 36th minute to restore the lead.

Thereafter, it was Amandeep Lakra who ensured the game was in Railway’s control. He scored a brace in the span of a minute to give Railway a 4-1 lead. Amandeep scored both goals off penalty corners in the 41st and 42nd minutes.