New Delhi: Massive security was deployed at the Jantar Mantar site in New Delhion Thursday after a ruckus broke out late last night between protesting wrestlers and some police personnel.
All DCPs in Delhi have been directed to maintain a state of alertness throughout their districts, particularly in border regions, Delhi Police said. They claimed that the police had information that a sizable crowd could make it to Jantar Mantar, the site of the wrestlers' protests.It adds, there should be extra caution used on highways leading to Central Delhi, and barricades have been erected in a number of locations.
Seven female wrestlers plan to accuse Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual assault, and the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear their case. The demonstrators said they won't leave the protest area till Singh, a BJP MP, is taken into custody.
After wrestlers said they were physically and verbally mistreated by police officers at the protest location on Wednesday, heavy security was spotted being placed there today. Additionally, the wrestlers claimed that some police officers assaulted and shoved female protesters while intoxicated.
According to the Delhi Police's response, the protesting grapplers' supporters became hostile when they couldn't bring folding beds to the scene, which caused confusion. The wrestlers wanted to bring in mattresses to sleep on after Wednesday's rain.
Folding beds were delivered to the Jantar Mantar protest site. Since we didn't permit it because there wasn't permission, some of the wrestlers' supporters attempted to remove the truck's beds, which sparked a fight, according to Deputy Commissioner of Police Pranav Tayal.
A brief confrontation resulted in the arrest of Somnath Bharti, the head of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), along with two other people, according to DCP Tayal. Bharti had brought folding beds to the protest site without authorization.
Swati Maliwal, the head of the Delhi Commission for Women, arrived at Jantar Mantar this morning to meet wrestlers. "I have returned to meet the wrestlers since it is my duty to do so. Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik, two wrestlers, informed us they were being tortured and that police personnel had been acting inappropriately towards them while intoxicated. Their security worries me. Why is Brij Bhushan being shielded by Delhi Police? Why doesn't the Delhi Police detain him? Maliwal told the journalists.
Deepender Singh Hooda, a congressman, also announced via Twitter that the Delhi Police had apprehended him at Jantar Mantar. Hooda said that he was transported to the Vasant Vihar Police Station yesterday in a tweet that was written in Hindi.
Maliwal was briefly halted at the roadblock yesterday and immediately let free, according to a tweet from the Delhi Police today.
"Honourable Chairperson DCW was quickly released by an officer after being halted at the barricade. She is right now inside the protest location. Individual access to Jantar Mantar is not restricted, according to a tweet from DCP New Delhi.
In response to the wrestlers' claims, DCP Tayal had stated yesterday that the wrestlers had been requested to register a complaint and that a medical examination of the police officer who had been accused of being "drunk" would be undertaken.
The DCP stated, "We have instructed the wrestlers to complain about their complaints and we will take necessary action...medical examination of the cop on whom they have made claims is being undertaken... Wrestlers claim that after a day of rain, Delhi Police officers who were intoxicated assaulted them when they tried to bring in mattresses to sleep.
"We were bringing the beds because the rain was making it difficult for us to sleep. Sakshi is in tears. They treat our daughters with this level of respect while abusing them, Olympic medalist Bajrang Punia told ANI yesterday.
Earlier on Wednesday, PT Usha, the president of the Indian Olympic Association, paid a visit to the wrestlers who had been staging a 12-day protest.
In response to accusations that WFI president Singh had sexually harassed and exploited female wrestlers, Delhi Police filed two FIRs against him on April 30.
Priyanka, expresses solidarity with protesting wrestlers at Jantar Mantar
