Jantar Mantar cleared out, but wrestlers undeterred: ‘We will restart our satyagraha’

While police said the stir was over now, the wrestlers said they would resume their agitation against BJP MP and Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over sexual harassment allegations.

According to police, over 500 women police personnel and 1,400 male personnel were asked to report to DCP (New Delhi) Pranav Tayal during the day. In all, 700 wrestlers were detained at different police stations. While women wrestlers were released around 7 pm, others were still at police stations at the time of going to press.

Dependra Pathak, Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), said, “What the wrestlers did was highly irresponsible. We will not allow them to protest now. We had asked them not to move out (from the protest site) but they didn’t listen. More than 8-9 police personnel were left injured. They broke the law and indulged in anti-national activities. We have cleared the area…”

Later in the evening, Malik tweeted that the protest was not over. “After we are released from police custody, we will again start our satyagraha back at Jantar Mantar. Now, there will be satyagraha of women wrestlers… not dictatorship,” read her tweet.

Another wrestler said, “We will not give up. Punia and others are still detained. Once they are released, we will go back and start our protest. They can remove our belongings.”

Police sources said protesters were detained at different police stations — Kalkaji, Mayur Vihar, Malviya Nagar, Burari and Najafgarh — so they couldn’t assemble in the New Delhi area after being released.

Police have also registered an FIR against the wrestlers and said they will take “stringent” action if they return. The FIR has been registered under IPC sections 147 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 186 (obstructing public servant in duty), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 353 (assault to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and section 3 of PDPP Act at Barakhamba police station. “Despite clear instructions, they broke the law and manhandled police personnel. The protest is over now. If they return, they will be sent back or detained,” said Pathak.

As per police, over 150 protesters were detained from Jantar Mantar while 550 others, including students, activists, farmers and labour union leaders, were detained from different areas.