Top Indian Wrestlers sleep on footpath near protest site in Delhi

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Top Indian Wrestlers spent the night sleeping on footpath as they returned to Jantar Mantar on Sunday (April 23) to resume their protest over the issue of sexual harassment allegations against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and other wrestlers returned to the protest site at Jantar Mantar in Delhi demanding that the government make public the findings of the oversight panel that investigated the allegations against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief.

The wrestlers, including Sakshi Malik and Ravi Dahiya, had in January raised the issue, but ended their three-day long sit-in after marathon talks with Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur. Thakur had announced the five-member oversight committee, headed by legendary boxer M C Mary Kom, to look into the allegations.

"How long is it going to take for the (government) committee to submit its report? It has already been three months and we are still waiting to hear from them. Will the report come out after the girls, who have filed complaints, die?" questioned world championship medallist Vinesh Phogat.

"We are tired of asking the government to release the findings... We have nothing to do with the (WFI) election process. We are more concerned about our careers. The (Paris) Olympics are upon us and we want to begin preparations in right earnest," she added.

Rio Olympic bronze medallist Sakshi Malik said, "We will not budge from Jantar Mantar" adding that "this fight will not stop". The last time the protesting wrestlers spent the night at the temple, this time they slept on footpath to continue their protest.