Vinesh Phogat leaves Khel Ratna, Arjuna at Kartavya Path

Wrestler Vinesh Phogat with her Arjuna and Khel Ratna Awards in New Delhi on Saturday. Pic/PTI

Multiple World Championship medallist Vinesh Phogat on Saturday returned her Khel Ratna and Arjuna Award, keeping the two awards lying in the middle of national capital's Kartavya Path after Delhi Police stopped her from reaching the prime minister's office.

On Tuesday, the Asian Games gold medallist grappler had decided to return her Khel Ratna and Arjuna Award to the government, saying such honours have become meaningless at a time when wrestlers are struggling to get justice.

Phogat had announced her decision in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. On Saturday, she attempted to reach the prime minister's office to return her awards but the police prevented her from reaching the PMO.

Also Read: Paris Olympics 2024: Punia urges Sports Ministry to restart wrestling activities

As a mark of protest, she left the awards at the Kartavya Path and they were later picked up by Delhi Police.

Phogat, along with Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, had protested against the election of Sanjay Singh, a close aide of former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who had been accused of sexual harassment by the three well-known grapplers.

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever