Violence At Delhi Protest Site Over Beds, Wrestlers Allege “Thrashed By Drunk Cops”

Ace wrestlers holding a protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar have alleged {that a} group of drunk Delhi Police personnel focused them late this night once they wished to usher in mattresses to sleep at night time after the daylong rains. The policemen beat them up and abused the ladies wrestlers, they stated. A number of grapplers had been hit on the top and two of them sustained accidents. One one who fell unconscious needed to be taken to the hospital.

In an official assertion, the Delhi Police stated: “Through the protest at Jantar Mantar, Mr. Somnath Bharti got here on the protest web site together with folding beds with out permission. On intervention, the supporters turned aggressive in attempting to get the beds out of the truck. Subsequently, a minor altercation passed off through which Somnath Bharti together with 2 others was detained”.

Such violence is a primary for Jantar Mantar, the designated protest web site of the nationwide capital. Visuals from the spot near midnight confirmed the wrestlers arguing with uniformed members of the Delhi Police. Many, on digicam, recognized one of many policemen who allegedly focused them. The injured wrestler was later recognized as Rahul Rao.

“A drunk policeman, Dharemendra, abused Vinesh Phogat and acquired concerned in a scuffle with us,” former wrestler Rajveer was quoted as saying by information company Press Belief of India.

“We had been attempting to arrange wood foldable beds for the reason that ground was moist. The cop jumped in and stopped us – did not wait for a girl cop and simply began pushing us. A few of us had been hit on the top with a stick,” Olympian Vinesh Phogat stated at an impromptu post-midnight press convention. “Did we win medals for the nation to see such days… The place had been the ladies cops when the constable was pushing us round?” she added, breaking down.

Ace wrestler Bajrang Punia broke down in an unique interview with NDTV. “I request the federal government that it take again all of the medals I’ve gained,” he stated.

Senior Aam Aadmi Occasion chief Somnath Bharti stated he was detained by the police for supporting the wrestlers’ demand for mattresses .

Unusual is the scenario,BJP’s MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is out n having fun with regardless of having a Pocso FIR in opposition to him however simply because I supported d demand of ladies wrestlers for a foldable cot to keep away from rain wrenched web site of Jantar Mantar, I hv bn detained in Mandir Marg PS. https://t.co/CtDmf5DFzqpic.twitter.com/v6ClVXLByO

— Adv. Somnath Bharti: इंसानियत से बड़ा कुछ नहीं! (@attorneybharti) May 3, 2023

“We’re getting information from the sources that the wrestlers and their associates have been attacked by the police at Jantar Mantar. It is a direct mess with our honor! Brothers and sisters of our nation have to come back ahead for the rights of sister and daughter! Will go to Jantar Mantar within the morning!” tweeted Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Jayant Singh.

“The police assault on wrestlers at Jantar Mantar through which my youthful brother Dushyant Phogat’s head was cracked open and one other wrestler was additionally injured could be very shameful,” learn a tough translation of a Hindi tweet from Olympian and Commonwealth Video games Gold Medalist Geeta Phogat.

जंतर-मंतर पर पुलिस द्वारा पहलवानों पर हमला जिसमें मेरे छोटे भाई दुष्यंत फौगाट का सिर फोड़ दिया गया है और एक अन्य पहलवान को भी चोट आयी है ये बहुत ही शर्मनाक है

— geeta phogat (@geeta_phogat) May 3, 2023

The wrestlers have been staging a protesting on the web site for 11 days, demanding the elimination of BJP MP and chief of the nation’s wrestling federation Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, accusing him of sexually harassing among the prime wrestlers.

The MP has denied any wrongdoing, however added that he’s able to step down if Prime Minister Narendra Modi or the BJP asks him to.

The wrestlers had arguments with the police earlier over bringing in generator and followers and even meals and medication. The 2 gates on the protest web site of Jantar Mantar are guarded round the clock by the Delhi Police.