India’s top wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, who were living in makeshift tents at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar for nearly 35 days to protest against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh who is accused of sexual harassment, were detained on May 28 by security personnel as they tried to march to the new Parliament building during its inauguration.
The women protesters, including Phogat and. Malik was released around 7.20 p.m.
Earlier after detaining them along with hundreds of their supporters and putting them into buses following a major scuffle, the Delhi Police and paramilitary personnel also dismantled their tents and removed their belongings such as cots, mattresses, cooler fans, and the tarpaulin ceiling. Within minutes, the protest site, which saw hundreds of supporters joining the wrestlers every day, was cleared.
The wrestlers, who resumed their sit-in on April 23 after the first round of protests in January, have been demanding the arrest of Mr. Singh, also a BJP MP from Uttar Pradesh’s Kaisarganj. Mr. Singh was also present at the new Parliament building, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Earlier the Delhi Police had increased the security after the call by khap panchayats to hold a mahila mahapanchayat in front of the new Parliament and the wrestlers’ decision to attend it.
