Non-Bailable Warrant Issued Against Olympic Wrestler Sushil Kumar

Sushil holds the distinction of being the country’s only two-time Olympic medallist in an individual event and the first Indian to win a wrestling world championship.

(Photo: UWW)

A non-bailable warrant was issued against Olympic medalist Sushil Kumar and others on Saturday, 15 May, in the case relating to the killing of 23-year-old Sagar Dhankar at Chhatrasal Stadium.

Kumar allegedly thrashed Dhankar, a former junior national champion and a part of the senior national camp, to death during a brawl in the Chhatrasal Stadium parking area on 4 May.

The Delhi Police had lodged an FIR on grounds of murder, abduction, criminal conspiracy and launched a search operation to locate Sushil, who has gone into hiding.

It has been learnt that Sushil left for Haridwar and then Rishikesh after the incident. He stayed at an ashram in Haridwar before returning to Delhi and is now constantly shifting base within the capital.

“We have recorded statements of all the victims and they all made allegations against Sushil Kumar,” Guriqbal Singh Sidhu, Additional DCP of the North-West district informed the media, adding, “We have lodged an FIR of murder, abduction, criminal conspiracy and are conducting raids to nab Sushil Kumar.”

Sushil holds the distinction of being the country’s only two-time Olympic medalist in an individual event and the first Indian to win a wrestling world championship. Sushil’s bronze medal in the 2008 Beijing games ended India’s 56-year-long medal drought at the Olympics.

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) is concerned that the prestige acquired over the years with splendid international performances, with Sushil at the very heart of it, has been severely affected due to the incident.

Inquired on if WFI would axe Sushil from the annual contracts list given his alleged connection with the murder, Tomar said they “were not mulling any such move as of now” and will wait for the police investigation to run its course.