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Indian Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra responded by having fellow athletes Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik detained by the Delhi Police as well as being evacuated from their protest site. The wrestlers had planned to march to the new Parliament House and hold a ‘Mahila Mahapanchayat’ during the opening ceremony under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Initially, the wrestlers were allowed to leave Jantar Mantar, where they had been protesting peacefully since April 24. However, as soon as they crossed the protective barricades surrounding the protest site, the police took them into custody. Section 144 was imposed in New Delhi to prevent disruption during the opening of Parliament, prompting the police to stop the wrestlers’ march on Jantar Mantar Road soon after it began. Ironically, the wrestlers were detained near the residence of five-time MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who was accused of sexual harassment.
, There must be a better way to deal with this. https://t.co/M2gzso4qjX
— Neeraj Chopra (@neeraj_chopra) May 28, 2023
Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal expressed her condemnation on Twitter after the wrestlers were detained and the protest site vacated. He shared photographs of Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia being forcefully taken into police custody, emphasizing their achievements as Olympic medalists, Padma Shri and Khel Ratna awardees. Maliwal highlighted her dedication to fight for justice for women wrestlers and criticized the actions of the police, saying athletes were champions, not terrorists.
Apart from Punia, Malik, and Vinesh Phogat, Sangeeta Phogat and her supporters were also detained by the Delhi Police after they attempted to cross police barricades and march towards the newly built Parliament House. In addition, the police removed the tents from the protest site. A senior police officer said that the detention has taken place due to violation of law and order, and they will initiate legal action accordingly.
