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Last Update: June 02, 2023, 3:20 PM IST
Indian wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Sangeeta Phogat Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik wearing black bands (Twitter)
Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia are demanding the arrest of Biraj Bhushan Sharan Singh for allegedly sexually assaulting women wrestlers.
Members of the 1983 World Cup-winning cricket team on Friday said protesting wrestlers may take the extreme step of immersing their medals in the holy river Ganges.
Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia staged their protest in Haridwar on May 30, demanding the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Biraj Bhushan Sharan Singh for alleged sexual harassment of women wrestlers, but no action taken . Threat to immerse the medal in the Ganges
On 28 May, the Delhi Police detained wrestlers for violation of law and order when they marched towards the new Parliament House without permission.
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The police also evacuated the picket site and made it clear that the wrestlers would not be allowed to return to Jantar Mantar.
The police action against the wrestlers was criticized from various quarters.
“We are distressed and disturbed by the indecent scenes of ill-treatment of our champion wrestlers. We are also most concerned about the fact that they are thinking of draining their hard earned money into the river Ganges.
“Those medals include years of effort, sacrifice, determination and grit and they are not only his own but the pride and joy of the country. We urge them not to take any hasty decision in this matter and also hope that their grievances will be heard and resolved at the earliest. Let the law of the land prevail,” the statement further read.
Under the legendary captain Kapil Dev, the Indian cricket team defeated the mighty Clive Lloyd-led West Indies to win the country’s first World Cup trophy.
Sunil Gavaskar, Mohinder Amarnath, K Srikanth, Syed Kirmani, Yashpal Sharma, Madan Lal, Balwinder Singh Sandhu, Sandeep Patil, Kirti Azad and Roger Binny had featured in the memorable final, played at the Lord’s on June 25, 1983.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI,
