Vinesh, Sakshi ’detained, taken to unknown location’ by Delhi Police as India shuns colonial past by new Parliament

In the backdrop of the inauguration of the new Parliament building on Sunday, Delhi Police manhandled wrestler Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia while trying to move towards the new Parliament building for a planned women's 'Mahapanchayat'. The police said the wrestlers were detained for the violation of law and order after they breached the security cordon.

The wrestlers and other protestors were pushed into buses and taken to unknown locations. The police had warned the wrestlers to not move towards the new Parliament building, but as the protestors kept moving, the police intervened.

The police forces also cleared the protest site by removing the cots, mattresses, coolers, fans, and the tarpaulin ceiling. This indicates that the administration might not let the wrestlers continue their protest after their release, but nothing official is communicated so far.

On Twitter, many users expressed their displeasure over how the internationally acclaimed protestors were treated.

On April 23, the wrestlers resumed their protest against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the former chief of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). They demanded his arrest for allegedly sexually harassing multiple female wrestlers, including a minor.

Chaos unfolded at Jantar Mantar as wrestlers and police officers engaged in a physical altercation, pushing and shoving each other. Vinesh Phogat, along with her cousin sister Sangeeta Phogat and Sakshi, attempted to breach the barricades, resulting in a tense confrontation.

Despite strong resistance from Vinesh and Sangeeta clinging onto her cousin's sister and lying on the road, the struggle continued for a few intense minutes. Eventually, the police officials forcefully dragged and lifted them, along with other wrestlers and their supporters, into buses.

"They have been detained for violating law and order. We will take legal action after an inquiry in due course of time," said Dependra Pathak, Special CP, Law, and Order.

"We need to assess the entire situation. As you have seen the barricades have been broken and they moved ahead despite request and warning. So that is why we have removed them from here.

"The bottom line is peace and tranquility in all situations will be maintained. We will ensure professional steps to see to it that nothing goes wrong," he added.

(With agency inputs)