Protesting wrestlers detained, police clearing protest site at Jantar Mantar
New Delhi (PTI): Protesting wrestlers including Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia were detained by Delhi Police on Sunday after they breached the security cordon while trying to move towards the new Parliament building, where a women's Mahapanchayat was planned for the day.
In chaotic scenes witnessed at the Jantar Mantar, wrestlers and police officers shoved and pushed each other as Vinesh Phogat and her cousin sister Sangeeta Phogat tried to breach the barricades.
All protesters were detained and forcefully boarded in buses by Police.
"They have been detained for violating law and order. We will take legal action after inquiry in due course of time," said Dependra Pathak, Special CP, Law and Order.
The police officials were also seen clearing the protest site, where the wrestlers had resumed their agitation against the Wresting Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on April 23.
The Delhi Police had beefed up the security at Jantar Mantar following protesting wrestlers' call for a 'Mahila Samman Mahapanchayat'.
Thousands of police personnel were deployed and multiple layers of barricades were in place in the Lutyens' Delhi area on Sunday.
The wrestlers protesting sitting about two kilometres from the Parliament building had said they will go ahead with their 'Mahapanchayat' near the new Parliament building at any cost.
However, Police said no protester will be allowed to move towards the new building as permission has not been granted to hold the event and the wrestlers should not be involved in any "anti-national activity".
The agitating wrestlers, including likes of Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia, Sakshi and Asian Games gold winner Vinesh have been demanding the arrest of outgoing WFI President Brij Bhushan Singh who they have accused of sexually harassing several women grapplers.
The wrestlers had said that use of force by police will not deter them from going ahead with their peaceful march and the Mahapanchayat.
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Death toll in Mundathikode fireworks explosion rises to 16
Thrissur (Kerala) (PTI): One more person who had been hospitalised following the Mundathikode fireworks explosion died at Thrissur Medical College on Sunday, police said.
With this, the death toll in the incident has risen to 16.
According to Thrissur Medical College police, the deceased has been identified as Unnikrishnan from Edappal, who was among the 38 persons present at the fireworks manufacturing unit in Mundathikode where the explosions occurred on April 21.
Police said Unnikrishnan had suffered over 80 per cent burns and had remained in critical condition.
The condition of the two other injured persons remains critical, police said.
Of the 38 persons present at the site, 16 have died, while four remain missing.
The fireworks were being manufactured for Thiruvambady Devaswom as part of the Thrissur Pooram festivities.
The licensee of the unit had also suffered burn injuries and had died earlier.
