Scuffle breaks out between protesting wrestlers and police at Jantar Mantar | Video

A scuffle broke out between Delhi Police and protesting wrestlers at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on Wednesday, news agency ANI reported.

"There was a scuffle between both sides. Since wrestlers alleged that one person has been injured they have been requested to give a Complaint. So far there hasn't been any law and order issues," said Delhi Police statement.

#WATCH दिल्ली: जंतर-मंतर पर प्रदर्शन कर रहे पहलवानों और दिल्ली पुलिस के बीच झड़प देखने को मिली। pic.twitter.com/sOnjpCZiqD

— ANI_HindiNews (@AHindinews) May 3, 2023

Top Wrestlers, who have been leading the renewed protests against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, have alleged violence at Jantar Mantar protest site in New Delhi.

Wrestler Bajrang Punia told ANI, "We're in need of the support of the whole country, everyone must come to Delhi. Police using force against us, abusing women and doing nothing against Brijbhushan." Bajrang also called for farmers and their leaders to assemble at the protest site on Thursday. He also accused the Delhi police of misbehaving with female wrestlers and abusing them.

#WATCH | "We're in need of the support of the whole country, everyone must come to Delhi. Police using force against us, abusing women and doing nothing against Brijbhushan...": Wrestler Bajrang Punia pic.twitter.com/krGrO7HlxM

— ANI (@ANI) May 3, 2023

Visuals from PTI showed the wrestlers arguing with the Delhi Police.

VIDEO | Ruckus between protesting wrestlers and Delhi Police at Jantar Mantar. More details are awaited. pic.twitter.com/AIS5zgH4My

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 3, 2023

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) (New Delhi) Pranav Tayal said,''During the wrestler's protest at Jantar Mantar, AAP leader Somnath Bharti came to the protest site along with folding beds without permission. When we intervened, the supporters became aggressive and tried to get the beds out of the truck. Subsequently, a minor altercation took place and Somnath Bharti along with 2 others were detained.''

The wrestlers have been staging a sit-in at Jantar Mantar since April 23. They have levelled allegations of sexual harassment against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is also a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Uttar Pradesh.

Earlier in the day, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) party said they will be providing the wrestlers with cots in view of the ongoing rainy spell in Delhi.

Meanwhile, Senior AAP leader and MLA Somnath Bharti tweeted, "Just because protesting women wrestlers were demanding foldable cots to spend the night in the rain and I supported their demand, I have been detained and brought to Mandir Marg Police Station."

Just because protesting women wrestlers were demanding foldable cots to spend the night in the rain and I supported their demand, I have been detained and brought to Mandir Marg Police Station.

— Adv. Somnath Bharti: इंसानियत से बड़ा कुछ नहीं! (@attorneybharti) May 3, 2023

On April 26, Delhi Police had told the top court that some kind of preliminary probe was needed before it can proceed with the registration of an FIR over the sexual harassment allegations. The top court had on Tuesday last issued notices to Delhi Police and others on a plea by the seven women wrestlers, saying the matter is "serious" and requires consideration.

On April 28, Delhi Police had filed two FIRs against Singh on the allegations of the wrestlers.

Several national award winning wrestlers have been protesting at Jantar Mantar demanding the government make public the findings of an oversight panel that investigated the sexual harassment allegations against Singh.

The wrestlers had asserted they won't leave the protest site until Singh is arrested. They had resumed their sit-in protest on Sunday and demanded that the findings of the oversight panel that investigated the allegations be made public.

The committee was set up by the Sports ministry in January after the wrestlers held a three-day sit-in.

Top wrestlers such as Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik staged a sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar in January and accused the WFI boss of sexual exploitation and intimidation. The wrestlers had demanded that WFI be disbanded and its president removed.

The sports ministry had then formed an oversight committee headed by boxing great MC Mary Kom on January 23 and asked it to submit its findings in one month. Later, it extended the deadline by two weeks and also added Babita Phogat to the probe panel as its sixth member at the insistence of the protesting wrestlers.

(with PTI inputs)