SUSHIL WANTED VIDEO OF ATTACK TO CAUSE FEAR, SAYS POLICE

NEW DELHI: Double Olympic wrestling medallist, Sushil Kumar, remanded in police custody and charged with murder of former junior national champion Sagar Dhankad, asked aides to record a video as he thrashed Dhankad and his friends Sonu and Amit Kumar inside the Chhatrasal stadium on the night of May 4, police investigation has revealed.

The motive, police believe, was to create fear among those opposed to Kumar and his group. The video was found in the mobile of Kumar’s associate Prince Dalal, who was arrested on May 5 by Delhi Police after the injured Dhankad died in hospital. “Preliminary inquiry has revealed that the video was shot with a motive to capture the brutality and create dominance and threat among the other groups. Sushil Kumar and others can be seen in the video assaulting Dhankad and the other two,” said a senior officer probing the murder, who did not wish to be named.

Another officer said Dhankad’s body had injury marks all over. “It looked like sticks and rods or some blunt object had been used to thrash him. There were bruises all over.”

Investigators have found that Kumar—on deputation from railways and Officer on Special Duty at Chhatrasal—and his associates threw their cell phones and fled Delhi once they got to know of Dhankad’s death. Kumar and an associate, Ajay, were arrested on Sunday after being on the run for 19 days.

The officer said in Punjab Kumar purchased a dongle to communicate with other members of his group. “We have found that the dongle was used to keep in touch with three persons who were helping him out with money and stay. We are yet to zero in on these persons and question them. It has also been found that the scooter which Kumar was riding when he was arrested with Ajay belongs to a woman, who is a national-level athlete. We are identifying people who helped Kumar and his associates elude (police).”

Kumar and six others, four of whom are still absconding, have been charged with murder, attempt to murder, assault, criminal conspiracy, criminal intimidation and under sections of the Arms Act. Dhankad was the son of a Delhi police head constable. The brawl followed a dispute over a flat in northwest Delhi’s Model Town, owned by Kumar and where Dhankad stayed.