New Delhi: A law student has filed a case with the National Human Rights Commission seeking action against Delhi Police for the “Unlawful detention and Brutal Police Action” protesting wrestlers at Jantar Mantar over the incident of May 28.
Law Student Aman Khan of Bikaner University mentioned in his complaint that “On May 28, several of India’s top wrestlers, including Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, had been detained while trying to march to the new Parliament building in New Delhi as they resolved to intensify their protest demanding the arrest of their federation chief over sexual harassment allegations from a period of time”
The Complainant has stated the “Right to life and liberty & right to freedom and expression embodied as fundamental rights under Article 19 and Article 21 of the Indian Constitution and no person shall be deprived from the ambit of Article 19 and 21”
The wrestlers had been protesting at Jantar Mantar since 23rd April, 2023, Olympian Vinesh Phogat, one of the athletes leading the protest said that several sexual harassment cases have been reported in the past but Singh succeeded in either making the charges disappear or made sure the complainant did not compete again. Recently, Phogat said, she received a phone call from young female wrestlers from a state in eastern India. “They had complained to the WFI in writing about sexual harassment by a coach,” she said. “The coach was banned for 10 days but returned in seven days as head coach. This is the culture [of the WFI]. When the head himself is like that, what action will he take against others?” The protesting wrestlers have refused to share the names of the women who have complained and will not let them come forward.
On May 28, the Delhi Police also registered an FIR related to rioting and other offences over the scuffle with protesting wrestlers in the national capital. A senior police officer that a case under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections pertaining to rioting, offence by a member of an unlawful assembly, obstructing public servant from discharge of duty, disobedience to an order promulgated by a public servant, causing hurt to a public servant in discharge of duty, using criminal force to stop public servant from performing duty, and under the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act was registered at Parliament Street police station.
A day after the incident, the law student filed a complaint before NHRC seeking appropriate action against the unlawful detention and the brutal police action taken by the Delhi Police over the wrestler protesting and also seeking NHRC Constituted probe over the incident.
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