Wrestlers Protest Timeline: From Jantar Mantar sit-in to nearly immersing medals in Ganga, 10 significant moments

Tokyo Olympics bronze medall Bajrang Punia and Rio 2016 medall Sakshi Malik led a delegation of protesting wrestlers to Sports Miner Anurag Thakur’s residence on Wednesday for a discussion on their demands. Following an almost six-hour long meeting the wrestlers stated that they would not stage any protests until June 15. Furthermore, the government assured them that the police investigation on Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh would be concluded then and the pending WFI elections conducted June 30.
The move came a day after Thakur had said that the central government was willing to have a ‘discussion’ with the protesting wrestlers.
Some of India’s biggest names in wrestling — including Bajrang, Sakshi and world championship medall Vinesh Phogat — have taken to the streets of New Delhi since January protesting against the WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who they accuse of sexually harassing female grapplers among other things. Initially, the wrestlers had returned home after the Sports Minry had formed an Oversight Committee to look into the allegations of the wrestlers.

But the wrestlers returned to Jantar Mantar in April.
Here’s a look at the most significant moments from the wrestlers protest:
01January 18Wrestlers begin their protest against WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and accuse him of sexual harassment, among other things. The WFI chief refutes all allegations.
02January 23Sports Minry forms an Oversight Committee to look into the allegations. The committee is given four weeks to complete the probe.
03April 16The WFI announces that elections for the new committee will be held on May 7, after the Oversight Committee’s report was submitted to the sports minry. The government does not make the report public.
04April 23Wrestlers return to the protest site and claim seven women wrestlers, including a minor, filed a sexual harassment complaint against Brij Bhushan. They accuse Delhi Police of not regering an FIR. Two days later, the protesting wrestlers move Supreme Court seeking regration of FIR against Brij Bhushan. The apex court calls the allegations “serious” and issues notice to the Delhi Police.
05April 28Delhi Police files two FIRs against Brij Bhushan – one under POCSO Act and another that includes WFI assant secretary Vinod Tomar. They are booked under IPC Sections 354-A (making sexually coloured remarks) and 354-D (stalking).
06May 28Delhi Police detains top wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, while they attempt to march towards the new Parliament, which is being inaugurated PM Narendra Modi.  The wrestlers, along with prominent khap panchayats from several states, had planned a ‘Mahila Samman Mahapanchayat’ at the new Parliament House building. As police tried to detain them, the wrestlers resed which saw ugly scenes where Vinesh, Sakshi and Sangeeta were dragged and lifted multiple policewomen before being taken into custody.
07May 3008May 3009June 6After alleging that Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh had sexually harassed and stalked her, a 17-year-old minor victim withdraws charges against the BJP MP. The minor had initially given two statements, one before the police and another before a magrate, where she had outlined her allegations. She recorded a fresh statement before a magrate under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which means mean that it will be up to the Court to decide if the charges can be pursued and a trial will decide which statement under 164 will be given precedence.