Maharashtra wrestler held in Punjab; family, NCPs rally behind him
Shaikh, who hails from Mohol in Solapur, won the Rustam-e-Hind Kesari title in 2024, five years after winning gold in the under-23 National Wrestling Championship in Shirdi
The arrest in Punjab of a popular wrestler from Maharashtra has triggered calls from his family and both the Ajit Pawar-led NCP and NCP (SP) for Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to step in amid allegations of sporting rivalry playing a role in the incident.
A talented mud-wrestler in the “dangal” circuit, Sikander Shaikh (26) was arrested in Mohali last week, along with two alleged gangsters from UP with police claiming that they recovered five pistols, live cartridges, cash and two vehicles in the operation. Another alleged gangster from Punjab was held in the same case later, they said.
According to Mohali police, Shaikh was arrested along with the two from UP at Airport Chowk when he was allegedly purchasing the weapons for a local network.
Shaikh, who hails from Mohol in Solapur, won the Rustam-e-Hind Kesari title in 2024, five years after winning gold in the under-23 National Wrestling Championship in Shirdi. His father and grandfather were wrestlers, too.
Speaking to The Indian Express, NCP’s Solapur district chief Umesh Patil, who also hails from Mohol, said he suspected that Shaikh might have been “framed by local wrestlers due to sports rivalry”.
“Every year, he earns `4-5 crore prize money in the wrestling circuit… If he takes part in one competition, he earns `1 lakh-1.5 lakh per day. During the season, he takes part in two-three events earning `3 lakh-4 lakh per day… Why would he want to earn in this manner (from the alleged gun purchase) when he has earned so much already… He has received 14 vehicles as gifts besides other prize money,” he said.
Last year, the Punit Balan Group, which is into real estate and films, had announced financial support of `15 lakh annually for three years for Shaikh.
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According to Patil, Shaikh, who was staying temporarily in Mohali to take part in various events and competitions, was arrested after he was asked by his “room mates to deliver a parcel to a person” and that the wrestler did not know that it “contained weapons”.
“We hope Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will intervene and take up this case with the Punjab Government. Shaikh has won the Maharashtra Kesari and Rustam-E-Hind titles. He is tomorrow’s Hind Kesari,” he said.
NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar, too, said he suspected that Shaikh had been “framed” in the case.
“He has carved a name for himself in the wrestling world. I don’t believe he would turn to crime and dump wrestling at a time when he is at the height of his career. Maybe, some people tried to implicate him in the case because of the rapid strides that he has made in wrestling,” he said.
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The wrestler’s father Rashid Shaikh said the family is in “absolute shock”.
“The whole of Maharashtra loves him. We are heavily dependent on him. He has a son who is also dependent on him. He has claimed many state and national titles…I urge Punjab Police not to commit injustice on my son,” he said.
Rashid Shaikh said he had been encouraging his son to win the prestigious Hind Kesari title, considered the peak of dangal wrestling.
“Our entire family had been encouraging him to go all out to win the Hind Kesari title. He has defeated all the top wrestlers from Punjab, Haryana and even Maharashtra. The Hind Kesari competition is coming near… He has been misled and framed in the case,” he said.
Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis.
Professional Legacy
Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles.
Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change.
Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities.
Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees.
Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment.
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area:
1. Political Shifts & Alliances
"Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala.
"BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls.
"Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections.
"NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections.
2. Civic & Administrative Accountability
"PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions.
"93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads.
3. Social & Labor Issues
"As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra.
"Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse.
Signature Beat
Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport.
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