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Wrestlers protest: Delhi Police registers FIR over ‘rioting’, ‘unlawful assembly’
Chaos ensued at Jantar Mantar after protesting wrestlers were detained while trying to march to the new parliament building which was being inaugurated.
The Delhi Police on Sunday registered an FIR related to rioting and other offences over the scuffle with protesting wrestlers in the national capital.
A senior police officer told Hindustan Times that a case under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections pertaining to rioting, offence by a member of an unlawful assembly, obstructing public servant from discharge of duty, disobedience to an order promulgated by a public servant, causing hurt to a public servant in discharge of duty, using criminal force to stop public servant from performing duty, and under the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act was registered at Parliament Street police station.
Chaos ensued at Jantar Mantar after wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia were detained following scuffle with the police personnel. A scuffle erupted after the wrestlers were stopped from marching to the new parliament building while it was being inaugurated.
According to the Delhi Police, 700 people were detained across the national capital including 109 protesters. The women detainees were released later in the evening.
"They (police) have released me, Sakshi (Malik) and Sangeeta (Phogat). The remaining ones (wrestlers) are still under detention," wrestler Vinesh Phogat told PTI after being set free.
Malik later tweeted, “This is how our champions are being treated. The world is watching us!”
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After the wrestlers were detained and pushed into a bus from where they were taken to unknown locations, the Delhi Police cleared the protest site by removing cots, mattresses, coolers, fans and the tarpaulin ceiling along with other belongings of the wrestlers.
“The police continues to keep me in detention. They have not told us anything. Have I committed a crime? Brij Bhushan should have been arrested. But why are we being kept in captivity”? Bajrang Punia tweeted.
The opposition parties including Congress, Aam Aadmi Party and Trinamool Congress condemned the police action on the protesting grapplers.
"Arrogant king is crushing the voice of the people on the streets as the “coronation is over”, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said it is "shameful our champions are treated in this manner".
