New Delhi: The Delhi Police on Sunday booked the organisers of the wrestlers' protest at Jantar Mantar and their supporters on charges of rioting and obstructing public servant in discharge of duty after some of them were detained while marching to the new Parliament building.
The police said 700 people were detained across Delhi, including 109 protesters at Jantar Mantar. According to a senior police officer, the FIR has been registered under sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 353 (assault or use of criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Sections 352 (assault or criminal force otherwise than on grave provocation), 147 (rioting) and 149 (unlawful assembly) of the IPC have also been invoked. Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia were among those detained.
The police said that 700 people were detained across the national capital including 109 protesters at Jantar Mantar. While women detainees were released later in the evening, Delhi police said it has filed an FIR against the protest organisers and others under IPC sections related to rioting, assault and obstructing public servant in discharge of duty.
Opposition parties slammed the central government over the alleged "manhandling" of wrestlers, who had resumed their agitation against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on April 23 demanding his arrest for alleged sexual harassment of several women grapplers including a minor.
Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said that the "arrogant king is crushing the voice of the people" on the streets as the "coronation" is over and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said it is "shameful our champions are treated in this manner". Elaborate security measures had been made after the wrestlers' call for a women's 'Mahapanchayat' outside the Parliament for which they did not have permission.
Chaotic scenes were witnessed at the dharna site at Jantar Mantar, barely three kilometres from where the new Parliament building was inaugurated by the prime minister, as protesters and police personnel shoved and pushed each other when the Phogat sisters, Sakshi Malik and others tried to breach the barricades.
Immediately after the wrestlers and other protesters were pushed into buses and taken to different locations, the police personnel began clearing the protest site by removing cots, mattresses, coolers, fans and the tarpaulin ceiling along with other belongings of the wrestlers.
