Wrestlers to suspend protest for a week after Minister's assurance that probe will be completed by 15th June

After a marathon meeting with Union minister Anurag Thakur on Wednesday, the protesting wrestlers agreed to suspend their protest for a week. The minister assured them that the probe against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, facing allegations of sexual harassment, will be completed by June 15.

The wrestlers said the government has also assured them that the police will withdraw the FIRs filed against them. The wrestlers were booked for violating law and order on May 28 when they marched towards the new Parliament building without permission to hold 'Mahila Samman Mahapachayat'.

"Government has assured us that the police investigation against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh will be completed before June 15. We have requested that all FIRs against wrestlers should be taken back, and he (Thakur) has agreed to it. If no action is taken by then, we will continue our protest," Punia said after the meeting with Thakur.


The meeting was attended by Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, her husband Satyawart Kadiyan and Jitender Kinha. Punia, Malik and Commonwealth Games medallist Vinesh Phogat and other wrestlers are demanding Singh's arrest.

Addressing the media after the meeting, Thakur said the six-hour long meeting was held in a positive atmosphere and all issues were discussed. "We have assured wrestlers that the probe will be completed by June 15 and charge sheets will be submitted. It has also been decided that the election of WFI will be done by June 30. At the same time an internal complaint committee of the Wrestling Federation, headed by a woman, will be constituted," Thakur said.

At the same time, all FIRs against wrestlers should be taken back, he said, adding that wrestlers have requested that Singh, who has completed three terms, and his associates should not be re-elected.