Wrestlers protest: Ruckus broke out at the wrestlers protest site at Delhi's Jantar Mantar late on Wednesday with the wrestlers alleging that they were manhandled by cops. The protesting wrestlers said they were beaten up by Delhi Police personnel and even alleged that women wrestlers were abused.
Wrestler Vinesh Phogat broke into tears while addressing a midnight press conference at Jantar Mantar. "We are not criminals that they are behaving like this with us," Phogat said, adding," I was abused and pushed around by policemen." She questioned why there were no female cops at the site.
Visuals from the site showed a scuffle between the wrestlers and cops and heated exchange of words between them.
According to reports, Aam Aadmi Party leader Somnath Bharti had brought folding cots for the wrestlers are Jantar Mantar and the police tried to stop him, it was at this moment that an argument broke out and a scuffle followed. Bharti was later detained.
"During the protest at Jantar Mantar, Somnath Bharti came at the protest site along with folding beds without permission. On intervention, the supporters became aggressive in trying to get the beds out of the truck. Subsequently, a minor altercation took place in which Somnath Bharti along with two others was detained," a statement issued by DCP, New Delhi, stated.
Top wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Mallik, Bajrang Punua and others have been protesting at Jantar Mantar since last nearly two weeks demanding removal of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh alleging sexual harassment, a charge that he has vehemently rejected.
Prominent wrestlers had come forward three months ago against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh following which the Youth Affairs and Sports Ministry had formed a committee to probe allegations against him. The Delhi Police had registered two FIRs against Singh on April 30 over allegations of sexual harassment.
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