The Delhi Police released a statement on Thursday, May 4, regarding the late-night scuffle between them and the protesting wrestlers at Jantar Mantar on Wednesday night after police stopped AAP leader Somnath Bharti from entering the protest site to give folding cots to protesters.
Speaking about the incident and some allegations leveled at the cops by the protesters, Deputy Commissioner of Police Pranav Tayal told ANI that the scuffle broke out after AAP leader Somnath Bharti brought folding beds to the protest site at Jantar Mantar. Some AAP supporters tried to take out the beds and this led to an altercation, said the DCP.
#WATCH | Yesterday, AAP leader Somnath Bharti brought folding beds to the protest site in Jantar Mantar. Some supporters tried to take out the beds & this led to an altercation…5 police personnel sustained injuries during a night scuffle. On the allegations that our staff… pic.twitter.com/sJzoy3HGxM
— ANI (@ANI) May 4, 2023
Regarding allegations leveled by protesting wrestlers that they were abused and manhandled by a cop who was in a drunken state, DCP Pranav Tayal refuted the claim. Calling the allegation false and baseless, he confirmed that a medical examination was conducted on the cop in question and the test result showed that he was not in an inebriated state that night. The DCP also added that sufficient women personnel were at the spot on Wednesday night.
In the official statement, the DCP further said, “Police only tried to stop AAP leader Somnath Bharti who arrived at the spot with foldable beds without prior permission. Upon intervention, Somnath Bharti supporters became aggressive as they tried to get the beds out of the truck. Subsequently, a minor altercation took place in which Somnath Bharti along with two others was detained.”
The DCP also confirmed that DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal also visited the site late at night on Wednesday but was stopped from entering the site by the cops as she tried to do so without due permission. She was detained and brought to the Civil Lines police station, after which she was released.
The DCP added that 5 police personnel, including two women cops, were injured in the scuffle at Jantar Mantar.
Notably, Deputy Commissioner of Police Pranav Tayal vehemently denied the claim made by the protesting wrestlers that the Delhi police officer was intoxicated, based on the results of the medical tests done on the cop.
In his previous statement, he had mentioned that a medical check-up of the policeman on whom the protesters raised allegations was being conducted.
#WATCH | "Somnath Bharti brought folding beds to the protest site in Jantar Mantar. Since there was no permission, we didn't allow it, so some of the supporters of the protesting wrestlers tried to take out the beds from the truck and this led to an altercation…": DCP Pranav… pic.twitter.com/dWwRTFSDHZ
— ANI (@ANI) May 3, 2023
PT Usha heckled by protestors, late-night scuffle with Delhi police at Jantar Mantar
On May 3, at around 11 PM, a scuffle broke out between the protesting wrestlers and Delhi police at Jantar Mantar after Aam Aadmi Party leaders, including Somnath Bharti and DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal, visited the protest site with the police detaining Somnath Bharti and AAP supporters.
Yesterday’s fiasco at Jantar Mantar started much earlier with PT Usha being heckled and manhandled by the protesters. PT Usha had visited the protest site to meet the wrestlers. A video made it to social media where she could be seen being hackled by some protesters that raised concerns about her safety at the protest site. She had to escape with the help of security personnel present at the site.
Wrestlers protest
On April 23, ace wrestlers Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, and Bajrang Punia launched a second round of protests against Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, alleging he sexually harassed hundreds of female wrestlers. The first round of protests took place in January this year. It was called off after Sports Minister Anurag Thakur formed a committee to investigate the matter.
Following the fresh wrestler’s protest, Delhi Police filed FIRs against Singh based on the complaints of seven athletes.
