Opposing wrestlers: There was a ruckus late Wednesday night at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar protest site and the wrestlers alleged that they were manhandled by the police. The protesting wrestlers said that they were thrashed by Delhi Police personnel and even alleged that women wrestlers were misbehaved.
Tears welled up in the eyes of wrestler Vinesh Phogat while addressing the midnight press conference at Jantar Mantar. Phogat said, “We are not guilty that they are treating us like this.” He questioned why there was no female police personnel at the site.
Visuals from the site showed a scuffle between the wrestlers and the police and an exchange of heated words between them.
According to reports, Aam Aadmi Party leader Somnath Bharti had brought folding cots for the wrestlers from Jantar Mantar and the police tried to stop him, during which a scuffle broke out. Bharti was later taken into custody.
“During the protest at Jantar Mantar, Somnath Bharti came to the protest site with a folding bed without permission. On being interrogated, the supporters became aggressive in trying to take out the bed from the truck. Thereafter, a minor altercation took place in which Somnath DCP A statement issued by New Delhi said that Bharti was detained along with two others.
Top wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Mallik, Bajrang Punua and others have been protesting at Jantar Mantar for the past almost two weeks, demanding the removal of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, alleging sexual harassment. He has denied this allegation outright.
Prominent wrestlers had come out against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh three months ago, following which the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports constituted a committee to probe the allegations against him. The Delhi Police had registered two FIRs against Singh on April 30 over allegations of sexual harassment.
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