Indian police on Sunday arrested several wrestlers, including Olympic medalists, along with dozens of their supporters, as they attempted to march towards parliament in New Delhi to protest against their federation’s president, a reporter from AFP on the spot.
A group of wrestlers has been holding a sit-in since last April to demand the arrest of Brij Bhushan Singh, the president of the wrestling federation, whom they accuse of sexual harassment and intimidation. On Sunday, the strugglers attempted to march towards India’s new parliament as it was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but were stopped by hundreds of police.
Among those arrested and put on buses were Olympic bronze medalists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia. “We respect our athletes, but we will not tolerate any disruption of the inauguration of the seat of parliament,” said a senior police official quoted by the NDTV channel.
Security has been reinforced in the federal capital. Police officials also stood guard around Delhi after a group of farmers attempted to enter the city in support of protesting fighters.
Earlier this month, dozens of farmers broke through police checkpoints in the city to join the protest. The head of the wrestling federation, Mr Singh, who belongs to the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata party of Mr Modi, denied the accusations against him.
