Kumar, who is lodged in Tihar, was granted permission by authorities to watch the Tokyo Olympics on TV in the jail’s common ward. The Delhi Police Special Cell arrested a close associate of two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar in connection with the Chhatrasal Stadium brawl and murder case. Police said the accused, Surjeet Grewal, who’s a national-level wrestling champion, is also involved in the murder case of 23-year-old wrestler Sagar Dhankar.
To date, police have arrested more than 15 persons in connection with the case, including wrestler Sushil Kumar and have booked them under sections of murder, kidnapping, Arms Act.
Police said that Grewal has been on the run for the past two months. He won Gold medals in the national level wrestling championship in 2018 and also represented India at the World Wrestling Championship, officers said.
Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, DCP (Special Cell) said Grewal was arrested from his village in Haryana’s Bhiwani after a chase of two months.
“He is a close associate of wrestler Sushil Kumar. We received information on Wednesday that the accused would come to his native village and arrested him,” said DCP Yadav.
Police claimed that Grewal confessed to his crime during interrogation and told the police that Kumar and his associates thrashed Dhankar and his friends Amit Kumar and Sonu outside Chhatarsal Stadium on May 4.
“There was a property dispute because of which Kumar started fighting with a few junior wrestlers at the stadium. He later went to Shalimar Bagh with his associates and picked up Amit along with his friend. They were taken to the stadium where Kumar and his armed associates beat them up. They then went to Model Town and dragged Dhankar along with Sonu,” said a police officer.
DCP Yadav said Dhankar and his friends were forcibly taken in cars to the stadium and were beaten up with sticks and batons to “settle scores”
In the brawl, Dhankar succumbed to the injuries while his friends were severely injured.
Kumar and his associates fled and were arrested on May 23 after a long chase across four states. The Special Cell arrested Kumar with co-accused Ajay Kumar on May 23 from Delhi’s Mundka.
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