Late night ruckus at Jantar Mantar: Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia accuse Delhi Police of manhandling them

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Wrestlers' Protest: A late-night ruckus broke out at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Wednesday (May 3) as ace Indian wrestlers accused Delhi Police officials of manhandling them.

Several videos were flooded on social media by the wrestlers, demanding the arrest of the wrestling federation of India (WFI) chief over sexual harassment charges, where they surrounded a couple of cops who misbehaved with them and even injured a fellow grappler.

The wrestlers alleged that a drunk cop misbehaved with the wrestlers, hurled abuses at female wrestlers and even manhandled them at the protest site. The wrestlers went live on their respective social media handles to report about the same. Wrestlers' Protest: PT Usha visits Jantar Mantar, meets grapplers demanding action against WFI president

In one of the videos, Vinesh Phogat could be heard claiming that Delhi Police had even hit her brother on his forehead who has been taken for first aid. Two of the wrestlers (Dushyant and Rahul) suffered injuries on their foreheads in the ruckus, the wrestlers later informed.

Bajrang Punia claimed that female wrestlers tried to bring some cots to the protest site due to inclement weather conditions in Delhi but the cops were not allowing them to carry it.

While addressing media persons late at night, Vinesh said, "We went to collect some cots from our vehicles as it's all wet out here. Some cops stopped us and started troubling us. There was no female cop nearby and these male cops started pushing us. Who gave them permission to push female protesters?"

Vinesh later asked, "We are being treated so badly for raising our voices. Is this the price of winning medals for the country? If this is the case then I pray no one wins medals..."If they wish to kill us, then let them shoot us," said Vinesh, who was crying inconsolably.

Sakshi Malik said, "We are not going to leave this site till our last breath. The antics of Delhi Police are as if we are criminals. There is no respect for women in their eyes. We are not going to leave till we get justice."

Later, Bajrang Punia appealed to fellow countrymen to arrive in Delhi in big numbers to support their protest. "It is my humble request to the fellow countrymen. Please arrive in Delhi in large numbers. We are fighting for the dignity of your daughters. Please join us here and support us," the Tokyo Olympics medal winner said.

"Somnath Bharti brought folding beds to the protest site in Jantar Mantar. Since there was no permission, we didn't allow it, so some of the supporters of the protesting wrestlers tried to take out the beds from the truck and this led to an altercation..." DCP Pranav Tayal on the scuffle between wrestlers and Delhi Police.

"We have told the wrestlers to give complaint on their grievances and will take appropriate action...medical check-up of the Policeman on whom they've raised allegations, being conducted," DCP Tayal added further.

Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) provided the protesting wrestlers with cots in view of the ongoing rainy spell in Delhi as rains continue to lash in the national capital.

The Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi's primary weather station, recorded 20.9 mm of rainfall between 8:30 am and 5:30 pm, and a maximum temperature of 30.6 degrees Celsius, nine notches below normal.

Senior AAP leader and MLA Somnath Bharti said, "On the instructions of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, we have decided to send foldable cots to the protest site. We hope that this small help will make this tough time a little bit easier for the wrestlers."

The official statement from Delhi

The wrestlers have been staging a sit-in at Jantar Mantar since April 23. They have levelled allegations of sexual harassment against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is also a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Uttar Pradesh.

The protesters have been demanding criminal action against Singh for the alleged sexual harassment and intimidation of seven female wrestlers, one of whom is a minor.

The Delhi Police filed two FIRs against the WFI president on Friday on allegations of sexual harassment levelled against him by the wrestlers. The protesting wrestlers had earlier moved the Supreme Court seeking the registration of FIRs against Singh.

Earlier in the day, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha arrived at the protest site to meet with the protesting wrestlers and assured them of her support.

However, she had to face jeers from angry wrestlers after she criticised their decision to sit on protest instead of approaching the IOA. After hearing Usha's comments regarding their protest, the wrestlers first expressed shock. Later, they publically criticised the legendary sprinter for belittling their protest.