Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik released; other protesting wrestlers remain detained by Delhi Police | Watch
1 min read 28 May 2023, 09:37 PM ISTProtesting wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, were detained on Sunday after a scuffle with security personnel who tried to stop them from marching to the new Parliament building as it was being inaugurated
PremiumWrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi malik, Sangeeta Phogat who had been detained by Delhi Police earlier in the day, were released. However, some other protesting wrestlers were still detained, according to the trio who were released.
Protesting wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, were detained on Sunday after a scuffle with security personnel who tried to stop them from marching to the new Parliament building as it was being inaugurated. Soon after, the Delhi Police cleared the site of their over-month-long sit-in at Jantar Mantar and said they
The manhandling of protesting wrestlers by the Delhi Police received severe cricitism from athletes and politicians alike.
Among the wrestlers on protest are Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia, all three international award winning grapplers.
The wrestlers, who had resumed their agitation against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on April 23 demanding his arrest for alleged sexual harassment of several women grapplers, had called for a women 'Mahapanchayat' on Sunday for which they did not have permission.
Chaotic scenes were witnessed at the dharna site at Jantar Mantar, barely three kilometres from where the new Parliament building was inaugurated by the prime minister, as protesters and police personnel shoved and pushed each other when the Phogat sisters, Sakshi Malik and others tried to breach the barricades.
Immediately after the wrestlers and other protesters were pushed into buses and taken to different locations, the police personnel began clearing the protest site by removing cots, mattresses, coolers, fans and the tarpaulin ceiling along with other belongings of the wrestlers.
Olympic medalists Bajranj Punia and Sakshi and Asian Games gold winner Vinesh, among other grapplers, have been demanding the arrest of outgoing WFI President, who they have accused of sexually harassing several women wrestlers.
Meanwhile, BKU leader Rakesh Tikait on Sunday called off his protest at the Delhi-Ghazipur border after staying put there for almost eight hours, following reports that wrestlers earlier detained by Delhi Police had been released.
Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Jayant Chaudhary too called off his party's protest after the development.
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