From fame to disgrace: Indian wrestlers who grappled their approach into violent crimes

Wrestler Sushil Kumar and his affiliate Ajay Kumar had been arrested by Delhi Police on Sunday, May 23 in reference to the homicide case involving 23-year-old wrestler, Sagar Rana following a brawl on the Chhatrasal Stadium in New Delhi.But this isn’t the primary time {that a} wrestler has been concerned in a violent crime. While many failed wrestlers grew to become bouncers, some joined mafia gangs, grew to become restoration brokers for banks or had been utilized by political events for muscle energy.Fallen from graceA few years in the past, a sarpanch was shot and killed in Haryana and one of many accused within the case was wrestler Naveen Dalal. In 2018, Dalal, who hails from Mandothi village in Haryana, had additionally opened fireplace at ex-JNU scholar Umar Khalid outdoors Delhi’s Constitution Club.Another wrestler marred with crimes like tried homicide is Rakesh Malik. In 2018, Malik was nabbed by Rohtak Police in reference to the homicide of a liquor contractor that came about in 2017. Malik was additionally arrested in 2005 for the homicide of a Jhajjar resident, as reported by Hindustan Times. He was launched from jail after six years.On February 12, wrestling coach Sukhwinder Singh has opened fireplace in Rohtak’s All-India Jat Heroes’ Memorial College gymnasium, killing 5 folks. Even Wrestling Federation of India President and a six-time BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh additionally has a number of critical circumstances towards him.Many wrestlers are at present serving time in jail for legal circumstances towards them. One of them is Khushinagar’s Sukhdev Yadav alias Pehelwaan. Convicted by Supreme Court and sentenced to twenty years in jail, Sukhdev had murdered enterprise govt Nitish Katara in 2002. Sukhdev was working below the patronage of politician DP Yadav.Wrestler-crime nexusFormer Delhi Police DGP LN Rao mentioned that for nearly 25 years, numerous bouncers and gangsters’ nexus have been operational, particularly within the outskirts of Delhi, together with Narela, Najafgarh and Bawana.In 1989, wrestler Krishna had began a gang conflict in Dhichuan and Mitraon villages of Najafgarh with one other gang led by Anoop Balraj, who hailed from Mitraon village. The two gangs, famously generally known as Gangs of Najafgarh, had been sparring over a plot of land.So far, greater than 200 folks have been killed in these gang wars. According to Delhi Police sources, over two dozen wrestlers have been booked for homicide, try and homicide, intimidation and assault in final one 12 months, many of the circumstances are both associated to controversy of area or bar fights.