Wrestlers’ Protest: Heavy Security At Jantar Mantar, Delhi On Alert As More People Expected To Join — Top Points

Wrestlers’ Protest: Multiple layers of barricades have been put up in Jantar Mantar after wrestlers called for farmers and their leaders to assemble at the protest site following a scuffle with the police.

New Delhi: The Delhi Police on Thursday morning increased security deployment 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. Deputy Commissioners of all districts in Delhi have been asked to be on alert in their districts as a large number of people can reach Jantar Mantar, the police stated.

In a video being circulated on social media, some of the protesters were heard accusing police personnel of attacking two wrestlers under the influence of alcohol.

The wrestlers have been staging a sit-in demonstration at Jantar Mantar since April 23. 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. The protesting wrestlers alleged that they were manhandled by the police personnel.

Wrestlers' Protest: Top Points

• Multiple layers of barricades have been put up around the protest site in Jantar Mantar and no one is being allowed in. The heavy deployment comes after wrestlers called for farmers and their leaders to assemble at the protest site on Thursday morning. Delhi Police is also checking vehicles at city border points to stop a large gathering at Jantar Mantar, an official told news agency PTI. 

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  The scuffle broke out around 11 pm when the wrestlers were bringing folding beds for sleeping and the on-duty police personnel started asking questions about it. The wrestlers accused the police personnel of behaving badly with them and alleged that personnel even abused the women wrestlers.

  
  

  "If you want to kill us, kill us," Vinesh Phogat said with tears in her eyes during a late-night media interaction. "Did we win medals for the country to see this day? We have not even eaten our food. Does every man have a right to abuse women? These policemen are holding guns, they can kill us," she said, as quoted by PTI.

  
  


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  The World Championship medallist questioned why female police officers did not respond to their male counterparts' misdemeanour. "Where were the female police officers? How can the male officers push us like that? We are not criminals. We do not deserve such treatment. The police officer who was drunk hit my brother," she alleged.

  
  


• Making allegations against the police, former wrestler Rajveer told PTI that their mattresses got wet due to rain and they were bringing folding beds for sleeping, but the police did not allow it. "Drunk policeman Dharmendra abused Vinesh Phogat and got involved in a scuffle with us. They started hitting us. Bajrang Punia's brother-in-law Dushyant and Rahul suffered head injuries. The police did not let doctors reach the site. Even the women constables were misbehaving with us," he alleged.
  
  


• Four people, including Congress leader Deepender Hooda and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Somnath Bharti, were detained following the incident, police said, as per PTI.
  
  


• Deputy Commissioners of all districts in Delhi have been asked to be on alert in their districts, especially in the border areas, Delhi Police said, as per ANI. "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," the police stated.


• Dismissing the accusation, Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Pranav Tayal said that AAP's Somnath Bharti came to the protest site with folding beds without permission. When asked about the beds, his supporters became aggressive and tried to get the beds from a truck. Following this, a minor altercation took place following which Bharti, along with two others, was detained, the officer added.
  
  "A few men tried to bring cots to the protest site. When the policemen asked them about the cots, they got aggressive and the protesters joined them. They wrongfully restrained a policeman and accused him of being drunk, which was not the case. Police personnel are at the site and the situation is now under control. No protester was beaten up," another senior police officer said, as quoted by PTI.
  
  


• Meanwhile, Olympian Bajrang Punia demanded that CCTV footage be checked to ascertain the truth. "CCTV cameras must be there. The footage will make it clear."
  
  When asked if the AAP leader had brought the folding beds, as being claimed by police, he said, "The CCTV footage will show that he was not there when it happened. We had ordered the beds, we were bringing those inside." 
  
  


• Notably, the Supreme Court will hear the wrestlers' matter today wherein it will be presented with a sealed cover affidavit. On Wednesday, the counsel representing the women wrestlers mentioned the matter before a bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice P S Narasimha. The bench permitted the counsel to bring the sealed cover affidavit on Thursday with an advance copy to Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Delhi Police.
  
  


• Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President PT Usha on Wednesday met protestors at Jantar Mantar and assured the grapplers of her support, saying she was first an athlete and then an administrator. The visit came as she faced criticism for being insensitive towards the protesting wrestlers as she came down heavily on the wrestlers for resuming their protest.  She had said that the wrestlers should have displayed discipline and that they had tarnished the country's image by hitting the streets.
   


• Last week, the Delhi Police filed two FIRs against the WFI president on the allegations of sexual harassment levelled against him by the wrestlers. The Police said that it provided security to seven complainants from the wrestlers' party, including a minor, and contacted them regarding the recording of their statements.

An oversight committee headed by boxing great MC Mary Kom was set up by the Sports Ministry in January after the wrestlers held a three-day sit-in. Top wrestlers such as Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik staged a protest accusing the WFI chief of sexual exploitation and intimidation. The wrestlers had demanded that WFI be disbanded and President Brij Bushan Sharan removed.