Picture Credit: Twitter

Picture Credit: Twitter

Wrestlers protesting at Jantar Mantar were taken into police custody, bringing a forceful end to their protests against the Wrestling Federation of Indian and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on Sunday. As wrestlers including Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia breached the security cordon while making their move towards the new Parliament building for a women’s 'Mahapanchayat', the Delhi Police detained them. As the wrestlers were pushed into buses and taken to an unknown location, the police officers began clearing the protest site. 

In absolute chaos witnessed at Jantar Mantar, wrestlers and police officers shoved each other as Vinesh Phogat and her cousin Sangeeta Phogat tried to breach the barricades. All the wrestlers were detained and pushed into buses by the Delhi police. In videos surfacing online, Sakshi Malik could be seen being forcefully detained by the police personnel. In the video posted on Sakshi’s account, she was taken away amidst efforts by other wrestlers trying to free her. 

Watch the vide o here: 

Notably, the Delhi Police had beefed up security at Jantar Mantar following wrestlers’ call for a ‘Mahila Samman Mahapanchayat' before the new Parliament building, which was inaugurated by the Prime Minister on Sunday morning. Thousands of police personnel were deployed, and protesters sitting at Jantar Mantar said they will go ahead for the ‘Mahapanchayat’. However, the police personnel had made it clear that no protester will be allowed to move towards the Parliament since they haven’t been granted permission for the ‘Mahapanchayat’. 

The agitated wrestlers have been demanding the arrest of the WFI President and BJP MP, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for allegedly harassing seven female wrestlers, including a minor.