Tearful Wrestlers Put Medal Immersion Plan On Hold, UWW Threatens WFI Suspension — All That Happened Today

Notably, top wrestlers like Vinesh Phogat, Sakshee Malik, Bajrang Punia, and others have been demanding Singh's arrest, accusing him of sexually harassing young talents. 

Protesting wrestlers Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat and Sangeeta Phogat sit at Har ki Pauri ghat, in Haridwar on May 30.

Source : PTI

New Delhi: The protesting wrestlers, including Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, and Sakshi Malik, on Tuesday decided not to "immerse" their medals in the Ganga River after intervention from farmers' leader Naresh Tikait. Takait urged them to reconsider their decision to immerse their hard-earned medals in the holy river, Ganga and sought five days’ time from them.

Notably, top wrestlers like Vinesh Phogat, Sakshee Malik, Bajrang Punia, and others have been demanding Singh's arrest, accusing him of sexually harassing young talents. 

Earlier in the day, the protesting wrestlers had announced their decision to immerse their hard-earned medals into Ganga. 

The wrestlers had chosen Har ki pauri, a revered spot on the banks of the Ganga in Haridwar, to bid farewell to their medals. May 30 coincided with Ganga Dussehra in Haridwar, drawing a substantial crowd to witness the wrestlers' poignant gesture.

Here are other top developments that took place throughout the day:

• The wrestlers handed over their medals to Bharatiya Kisan Union President Naresh Tikait with the condition that Tikait will help them get "justice" and have WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh arrested within five days. 
  
  
• The wrestlers also declared their intention to stage a hunger strike "until death" at India Gate, as they continue to voice their grievances. 
  
  
• United World Wrestling (UWW) on Tuesday condemned the detention of protesting wrestlers including Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia. The UWW issued a statement expressing “great concern over the situation in India where wrestlers are protesting over allegations of abuse and harassment by the President of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI)”.
  
  Expressing its disappointment over the lack of results of the investigations so far, the international governing body for the sport demanded WFI elections in the next 45 days. "Failing to do so may lead UWW to suspend the federation, thereby forcing the athletes to compete under a neutral flag," it said.

• Before Tikait arrived at the ghat, the Ganga Sabha, which looks after the affairs of the holy river, had issued a diktat in the evening, forbidding the immersion of the medals.
  
  
• Farmer leader Naresh Tikait on Tuesday said that the BJP-led Central government is busy saving WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and also called for a Khap meeting tomorrow. Speaking to ANI, Tikait said, "Entire Indian govt is saving one man (WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh). There will be a Khap meeting tomorrow."