Protest anywhere but here: Delhi police after clearing wrestlers' sit-in at Jantar Mantar

New Delhi: A day after the Delhi Police cleared the sit-in site of the protesting wrestlers, the security force on Monday denied permission to resume the sit-in protest in Jantar Mantar. The police asked the wrestlers to choose any place other than the historic site for their protest.

"The demonstration by the wrestlers was going on smoothly at the notified place of Jantar Mantar. On Sunday, the protestors flouted the law, ignoring our repeated requests. Hence, we cleared the site and ended the dharna," Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) tweeted in Hindi.

"If the wrestlers will apply for permission to stage their sit-in again in the future, they will be allowed to do so at any suitable notified place other than Jantar Mantar," it said.

Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia along with other protesters were booked for rioting and obstructing public servant in discharge of duty on Sunday after a scuffle with security personnel who tried to stop them from marching to the new Parliament building as it was being inaugurated. Soon after, the Delhi Police cleared the site of their over-month-long sit-in at Jantar Mantar and said they would not be allowed to return there.

The police said 700 people were detained across the national capital. As many as 109 protesters, including the three wrestlers, were detained at Jantar Mantar. Women detainees were released later in the evening on Sunday.

Chaotic scenes were witnessed at the dharna site at Jantar Mantar as protesters and police personnel shoved and pushed each other when the Phogat sisters, Sakshi Malik and others tried to breach the barricades.

 

The wrestlers had been protesting at Jantar Mantar since April 23 against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh demanding his arrest for alleged sexual harassment of several women grapplers, including a minor.

(with PTI inputs)