Wrestlers' protest HIGHLIGHTS: We have all options, will decide future course of action soon: protesters

The Congress slammed the BJP-led central government over a scuffle between the Delhi Police and the wrestlers protesting at Jantar Mantar and demanded a court-monitored investigation into the entire episode. The Congres also demanded that Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Saran Singh be removed immediately and arrested as he faces grave charges of sexual harassment, including that of minor. The party urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to show "sensitivity" to the protesting grapplers and visit them at Jantar Mantar by stopping his poll campaign.

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi condemned the "shameful" behaviour with sportspersons and alleged the ruling party has "never shied away" from committing atrocities on the daughters of the country. "Such behaviour with the sportspersons of the country is shameful. 'Beti Bachao' is just hypocrisy. In fact, the BJP has never shied away from committing atrocities on the daughters of the country," Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi, while sharing a video of the players accusing the police of beating them up.

Delhi Police have detained Geeta Phogat and her husband Pawan Saroha.

The protesting wrestlers on Thursday claimed that Delhi Police have taken away their generator set and the mattresses they had kept for drying, even as heavy police deployment continued near the protest site. The protestors had to make their speeches without microphone as there was no generator set. "Delhi Police have taken away our mattresses which we have kept for drying. They have taken away our generator set," one of the wrestler's said.

There was heavy police bandobast at the roads leading to the protest site, which could be in anticipation that supporters may try to reach the spot after Bajrang Punia's call on Wednesday night to the farmers and general public to reach Jantar Mantar in support of them.  Around 11 pm on Wednesday, a scuffle broke out with Delhi police personnel when the wrestlers were trying to get extra mattresses and wooden benches to the protest site for their night stay since rain had left old mattresses wet and soggy. The on-duty police personnel began enquiring about the sleeping materials as rules do not permit bringing in such things at the protest site.

Police have detained around 15 people. Farmers union leader Abhimanyu Kohar was coming from Sonipat to Delhi to support the wrestlers: Delhi Police

Police have detained around 15 people...farmers union leader Abhimanyu Kohar was coming from Sonipat to Delhi to support the wrestlers: Delhi Police

Supreme Court told agitating female wrestlers to approach either High Court or Magistrate Court in the matter related to sexual harassment. 

(With inputs from Gonika Arora) 

A hearing in Supreme Court is underway in the sexual assault allegations levelled by wrestlers against Brij Bhushan Singh. 

The Left students wing are protesting at Jantar Mantar in support of wrestlers today. 

(With inputs from Piyush Mishra) 

CJI bench will hear the petition today (May 4). 

(With inputs from Gonika Arora) 

After a late-night scuffle between wrestlers and Delhi Police at Jantar Mantar, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has called a meeting of its MLAs, councillors and party officials in connection with the matter on Thursday. "AAP Delhi state convenor Gopal Rai has called the meeting at 12.00 noon," an official statement by the party said. Keeping upcoming Haryana Elections in mind, AAP may protest in the state tomorrow at wide scale. Earlier, A scuffle broke out between wrestlers and the Delhi Police during the late night hours on Wednesday in Jantar Mantar.

(With inputs from Bhaskar Mishra) 

After a late-night scuffle between wrestlers and Delhi Police at Jantar Mantar, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has called a meeting of its MLAs, councillors and party officials in connection with the matter on Thursday."AAP Delhi state convenor Gopal Rai has called the meeting at 12.00 noon," an official statement by the party said. A scuffle broke out between wrestlers and the Delhi Police during the late night hours on Wednesday in Jantar Mantar.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday slammed the BJP over the scuffle at Jantar Mantar between wrestlers and police and called its treatment of national sportspersons shameful and arrogant. Kejriwal in a tweet in Hindi said that arrogance has gone to the head of the BJP and it wanted to run the system through "hooliganism" as he called on people to throw it out of power. A scuffle broke out late Wednesday night between the wrestlers staging a protest at Jantar Mantar and some policemen, leading to a couple of protesters getting injured. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Somnath Bharti and Congress leader Deepender Hooda were among the people who were detained after the incident, according to police. In a video that circulated on social media, some of the protesters were seen accusing a policeman of attacking two wrestlers in a drunken state. According to police, protesters became aggressive after policemen deployed there asked some people about cots being brought by Bharti. Kejriwal sharing a video of Jantar Mantar tweeted "such behaviour with the champion players of the country? This is extremely unfortunate and shameful...". 

DCPs of all districts in Delhi have been asked to be on alert in their districts, especially in the border areas. Special care is to be taken on roads which go towards Central Delhi, barricades have been put up at several places. Police have received some inputs that a large number of people can reach Jantar Mantar where the wrestlers are protesting, Delhi Police said.

DCW chief Swati Maliwal said, "Delhi Police misbehaved with me, why it's not arresting Brij Bhushan Singh, why pressure is being created on protesting wrestlers, I have come to record their statements, 400 policemen are here, they do not have the courage to arrest WFI chief."

Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait today demanded that the Delhi Police release those detained by it from the ongoing wrestlers' protest site at Jantar Mantar. The national spokesperson of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) also alleged that those supporting the wrestlers had been taken into custody by the Delhi Police at the behest of the Centre. "The arrest of wrestlers, farmers, journalists and the youth who went to support the wrestlers by the Delhi Police at the behest of the government will start a new revolution in the country. The Delhi Police should immediately release them," Tikait tweeted in Hindi.  The prominent farmer leader had earlier met with the protesting athletes and supported the wrestlers who have been staging a sit-in at Jantar Mantar in the national capital since April 23.

After late night scuffle the Delhi Police has barricaded all the entry points at Jantar Mantar today morning. 

After a late-night scuffle between wrestlers and the Delhi Police in Jantar Mantar, the wrestlers claimed that they were manhandled and abused by the police personnel at the protest site.

On Wednesday late night, police detained Rajya Sabha MP Deependra Hooda and chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Swati Maliwal who had reached the spot to support the wrestlers. They have levelled allegations of sexual harassment against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is also a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Uttar Pradesh. In a video being circulated on social media platforms, some of the protesters can be heard accusing a police personnel of attacking two wrestlers under the influence of alcohol. The accused policeman is seen sitting in the video, while the protesters allege that his colleagues were mute spectators.

The wrestlers protesting at Jantar Mantar have written to Union Home Ministry seeking an strict action against officials responsible for the alleged manhandling of grapplers at the protest site on Wednesday night. In the letter, they also sought permission to bring waterproof tents, beds, gym instruments, wrestling mats and sound system at the protest. "We, Olympians and international wrestlers, have been peacefully protesting for the past 11 days regarding our demands at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. At around 11:00 p.m., we were arranging amenities for our night stay when ACP Dharmendra of the Delhi Police attacked us with nearly 100 police personnel. In the attack, Dushyant Phogat and Rahul Yadav suffered head injuries," read the letter. Wrestlers alleged that the ACP hurled abuses at olympian Vinesh Phogat while Sakshi Malik and Sangeeta Phogat was mangandled by the police. "Attacking and disrespecting international wrestlers in this manner is demoralising for the athletes and it undermines their confidence. It is also putting India into bad light. We request you to take immediate action," they asserted.

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The Delhi Police today (May 4) morning made a heavy deployment of security personnel at Jantar Mantar where a scuffle broke out between the protesting wrestlers and some police personnel, leading to head injuries to a couple of protesters. Multiple layers of barricades have been put up around the protest site and no one is being allowed in. 

ALSO READ: Protesting wrestlers allege cops manhandled them at Jantar Mantar, Vinesh Phogat breaks down on cam