Delhi Police arrest judo coach in Sagar Dhankar murder case

The judo coach, Subash, is the eleventh person to be arrested in this case.

The Delhi Police on Wednesday arrested a judo coach, identified as Subash, in connection with the murder of national wrestler Sagar Dhankar at national capital’s Chhatrasal Stadium last month. This is the eleventh arrest made in this case, the prime accused in which is wrestler and two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar.

Subash was arrested by the Delhi Police’s crime branch from the national capital, a senior official said.

The case pertains to the death of Dhankar after being allegedly assaulted by Kumar and his associates on the intervening night of May 4 and 5. The 23-year-old’s friends, Sonu and Amit Kumar, sustained injuries in the alleged assault.

Sushil Kumar, who fled from Delhi after the incident, was arrested on May 23 from the city’s outer Mundka area along with co-accused Ajay Kumar. He was sent to six-day police custody by a court, which was later extended by four more days. On June 2, the Olympian was sent to judicial custody for nine days, with the court rejecting the Delhi Police’s plea for three more days of custodial interrogation.

On June 11, Kumar’s judicial custody was extended till June 25. He is facing charges of murder, culpable homicide and kidnapping.

The Delhi Police have described Kumar as the “main culprit and mastermind” and claim to have electronic evidence in which the Olympian and his associates can be seen assaulting Dhankar with sticks. This is an apparent reference to a video which surfaced on social media in which Kumar and his men can be seen beating up a man, purported to be Dhankar.

The video, the Delhi Police have claimed, was shot so that Kumar could continue to maintain his “fear” among fellow and junior wrestlers.