Chaos erupted at Jantar Mantar as wrestlers who were on their way to the new Parliament building during the 'Mahila Maha Panchayat' on Sunday, were detained by Delhi Police. Top grappler Sakshi Malik said the wrestlers' protest was not over yet and that they would return to Jantar Mantar as soon as Delhi Police releases them.
Top wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia who have been protesting at Jantar Mantar for over a month against Wrestling Federation of India Chief (WFI) Brij Bhushan Singh were among the ones who were detained today.
Taking to Twitter, Sakshi Malik wrote, "Our protest is not over. We are released from police custody, and will start our Satyagraha back at Jantar Mantar. In this country, there will be Satyagraha of women wrestlers, not dictatorship."
The wrestlers, who have been sitting in protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, are demanding the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Singh who, they alleged, sexually harassed several women grapplers. Several Opposition parties, including the Congress, have extended their support to the protesting wrestlers.
A large number of police personnel were deployed in Sonipat, Jhajjar, Jind, Kurukshetra, Ambala, Sirsa and Gurugram districts and all vehicles entering Haryana thoroughly checked, officials said.
Several videos on social media showed police personnel manhandling the wrestlers. Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal wrote to Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora, demanding the arrest of WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and sought the release of grapplers, and action on the officers who detained them.
(With inputs from PTI)
