'Did We Win Medals To See This Day?': Vinesh Phogat After Scuffle Between Wrestlers And Police

A scuffle broke out between the wrestlers staging a protest at Jantar Mantar and some Delhi Police personnel, leading to head injuries to a couple of protesters.

New Delhi: Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat on Thursday expressed shock over a scuffle between Delhi Police personnel and protesting wrestlers at Jantar Mantar. Appalled by the boorish behaviour of the Delhi Police towards protesting wrestlers, an emotionally distraught Phogat said they were not 'criminals' and that they did not deserve such 'disrespect'. Phogat, who is the first Indian woman wrestler to win gold medals at both Commonwealth and Asian Games, asked if she won medals for the country to see this day.

Vinesh Phogat's reaction came after a scuffle broke out around 11 pm on Wednesday when the protesting wrestlers were bringing in folding beds for their night stay and the on-duty police personnel allegedly began enquiring about that. The wrestlers alleged that the police officers started behaving badly with them and even abused the women wrestlers.

"If you want to kill us, then kill us," a crying Vinesh Phogat said during a late-night media interaction.

The World Championship medallist asked where were female police officers and how can the male officers push us like that. 

"Did we win medals for the country to see this day?" she said.

We are not criminals. We do not deserve such treatment. The police officer who was drunk hit my brother, Phogat added.

Request everyone to reach Delhi: Bajrang Punia after scuffle

Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang Punia, who is one of the top wrestlers sitting on protest since April 23, demanding the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh alleging that he has sexually harassed seven female grapplers, including one minor, exhorted the farmers and the general public to reach Jantar Mantar in their support.

"I request everyone to reach Delhi by morning. This is the time. If not now, then when. This is the question of the dignity of our daughters. People like Brij Bhushan are roaming free despite being a criminal and all this is happening to us," Bajrang Punia said.

Asked to give more details, he said that CCTV cameras must be here and the footage will make it clear.

Congress' Deepender Hooda, AAP MLA Somnath Bharti detained

According to police, four people, including Congress leader Deepender Hooda and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Somnath Bharti, have been detained following the incident.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Pranav Tayal said Bharti came to the protest site with folding beds without permission. On being asked about the beds, his supporters became aggressive and tried to get the beds from a truck. Subsequently, a 'minor' altercation took place following which Bharti, along with two others, was detained, the officer said.

Another senior police officer said, "A few men tried to bring cots to the protest site. When the policemen asked them about the cots, they got aggressive and the protesters joined them. They wrongfully restrained a policeman and accused him of being drunk, which was not the case... No protester was beaten up."

Barricades have now been put up around the protest site and no one is reportedly being allowed in.

It is notable that the protesting wrestlers have been demanding criminal action against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for the alleged sexual harassment and intimidation of female grapplers. The Delhi Police has filed two FIRs against Singh, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP, on the allegations of sexual harassment leveled against him by the wrestlers.