Indian wrestlers suspend protest after promise of swift probe of federation chief

NEW DELHI: India’s top wrestlers said they had decided to suspend protests on Wednesday after the country’s sports minister promised a swift probe of their federation chief who they accused six months ago of sexually harassing female athletes.

The wrestlers have been camping in New Delhi for months since April seeking the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has denied the allegations.

Last month, the protest site was cleared and several wrestlers were briefly detained as they kept demanding action against Singh, who is also a powerful member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and a federal lawmaker.

Olympic medalist Bajrang Punia was part of the wrestling delegation that met Sports Minister Anurag Thakur at his residence on Wednesday, a meeting that lasted nearly six hours.

“The government has assured that they would complete the police investigations against Singh by June 15 so we have suspended the protest till then,” said Punia, who won the men’s 65 kg freestyle bronze at the Tokyo Olympics.

Singh, a six-time member of parliament, has been accused of sexually assaulting seven female athletes, including a minor.

His lawyer rejected all the allegations levelled by the wrestlers and said Singh was cooperating with the police in the probe.

Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik, Asian Games champion Vinesh Phogat and Punia had to be talked out of plans to dump their medals in a river in protest on May 30.

“Those moments when we were dragged and roughed up by the police were deeply humiliating for all the wrestlers as all we want is justice for seven female victims of sexual abuse,” Punia said.

The rumbling protest and police action against