Absconding associates of Olympian wrestler Sushil Kumar held in murder case, say cops

Sushil Kumar, along with others, is accused of allegedly assaulting former junior national wrestling champion Dhankar, a resident of Haryana’s Rohtak, and his friends in the parking lot of the city’s Chhatrasal stadium.

Tanseem Haider

New Delhi,UPDATED: Dec 9, 2022 04:31 IST

The accused carried a reward of Rs 50,000 and were arrested on Thursday, police said (Photo: India Today)

By Tanseem Haider: Delhi Police on Thursday arrested two associates of jailed Olympian wrestler Sushil Kumar, wanted in connection with the murder of 23-year-old budding wrestler Sagar Dhankar in May 2021. The accused carried a reward of Rs 50,000 and were arrested on Thursday, police said.

The accused have been identified as Ankit Dabas, 28, a resident of the village Sultanpur Dabas and Joginder alias Kala, 43, a resident of the village Pooth Kalan. Both had been on the run since Sagar’s death.

Sushil Kumar, along with others, is accused of allegedly assaulting former junior national wrestling champion Dhankara resident of Haryana’s Rohtak, and his friends in the parking lot of the city’s Chhatrasal stadium, on May 4, 2021 over an alleged property dispute.

Dhankar later succumbed to injuries and, according to the post-mortem report, he died due to cerebral damage resulting from blunt object impact.

During the investigation, 18 accused had been arrested but two accused, Joginder aka Kala and Ankit Dabas, were at large for committing crimes. Both were hiding themselves and continuously changing their hideouts. Police received inputs that they were hiding themselves in rural areas of District Baghpat (UP).

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When the police reached Bhagpat, both accused tried to escape but the team identified them and apprehended them, due to sincere efforts, dedication, and a high level of professional competence.

“During the investigation, 18 were arrested but Joginder and Dabas were at large after committing the crime. Both were hiding themselves and continuously changing their hideouts,” Special Commissioner of Police, Crime, Ravindra Singh Yadav said.

“Recently, credible information was received that two fugitives were hiding in rural areas of district Baghpat (UP). Acting on the inputs, a police team reached the Baghpat area and mounted both technical and human surveillance.

“The police team pretended to be agricultural labourers as they moved around in villages. After painstaking efforts, the police team got a clue about the fugitives and both the accused, who also tried to escape, were apprehended near village Balaini in Baghpat,” said Yadav.

“To evade arrest, both the accused stayed among the farmers at Tikri Border during the farmers agitation. After the agitation had ended, Dabas shifted to Himachal Pradesh and worked there as a labourer in a transport company while Joginder shifted to Haridwar and stayed there in different temples and Dharamshalas,” said the Special CP.

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