After the May 28 incident where Delhi Police manhandled and detained the protesting wrestlers who were on their way to the new Parliament building, a retired IPS officer N C Asthana yesterday came out with a scathing statement towards the wrestlers saying they will be "shot if need be".
"You will be shot, if needed. But not if you tell us to. We have just dragged and dumped you like a sack of garbage", his tweet read.
The tweet now remains deleted after receiving massive backlash on social media.
Reacting to his tweet, wrestler Bajrang Punia said, "where should we come?, trust us we won't show you our backs and are willing to take the bullet in our heart."
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On May 28, the protesters including Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, Sangeeta Phogat and Bajrang Punia planned to demonstrate outside the new parliament building.
According to the police, around 700 people were detained across the national capital on May 28.
As many as 109 protesters, including the three wrestlers, were detained at Jantar Mantar.While women detainees were released later in the evening, Punia was released late at night. The police also stated that the protesters did not follow their directions and those who tried to break security barricades were detained.
Several videos and photographs on social media showed the police dragging the wrestlers. Pictures and videos of Malik and the Phogat sisters’ manhandling went viral and sparked criticism from several quarters.
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Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Punia along with other protesters were booked for rioting and obstructing public servants in discharge of duty after a scuffle with security personnel who attempted to bar them from marching to the new Parliament building as it was being inaugurated.
(With PTI Inputs)
