Vijayawada, June 1 : A state-level football player was stabbed to death by rivals in Vijayawada, police said. Akash (23) was murdered by rivals at a friend's house after a brawl at a bar in Gurunanak Colony late on Tuesday. One Shankar alias Tony of Vambay Colony in the city died under suspicious circumstances on Tuesday. His body was brought to Government General Hospital (GGH) for an autopsy. A large number of Tony's followers also reached there. They later went to a nearby bar to consume liquor. Tony's followers had two rival gangs. Akash, who belonged to one gang, had an argument with members of the other gang. Akash assaulted one of the rivals. Some of those present at the bar brought Akash to his friend's house in Gurunanak Colony and he slept there in an inebriated condition. On learning about Akash's presence at the friend's house, 10 members of the rival gang reached there. There were four people, including Askash, at the house. Two of them escaped on seeing the rival gang while another person was threatened and sent out. The assailants repeatedly stabbed Akash and escaped. After some time Akash's friends returned there and saw Akash lying in a pool of blood. They shifted him to a private hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead. He had 16 stab injuries. Senior police officials, including Assistant Commissioner of Police Khadar Basha, reached the hospital and got the body shifted to GGH for autopsy. A case has been registered at Patamata Police Station. Police said they have launched a hunt for the killers. /IANS