Hindustan Times (Lucknow)

Sushil back at his theatre of dreams, this time to recreate an alleged killing

- Anvit Srivastava letters@hindustant­imes.com

The sprawling Chhatrasal stadium in northwest Delhi is where it all began for two-time Olympic medallist and world champion wrestler Sushil Kumar. This is where his wrestling career started in earnest, when, as a 12-year-old boy, he enrolled into the wrestling school run by Asian Games champion Satpal Singh in 1995. The stadium complex became Kumar’s home, and in a sense, he never left -- till he went on a 19-day run from the law on May

4, ending in his arrest by Delhi Police on May 23.

On Tuesday, the man who had made Chhatrasal India’s

most iconic wrestling destinatio­n was led back to the stadium, flanked by police and forensic teams, to recreate the alleged killing of a 23-year-old wrestler called Sagar Dhankad.

The scene where Kumar had plotted his greatest triumphs on the mat was now a crime scene. For more than an hour, investigat­ors questioned Kumar and collected evidence, based on what the police claim is footage of the crime recorded on the mobile phone of one of Kumar’s associates. Kumar’s associate Ajay Sherawat, who was with him when the wrestler was arrested, was also questioned at the scene.

On the night of May 4, Dhan

 ?? ARVIND YADAV/HT ?? Sushil Kumar being taken into custody on Sunday.
ARVIND YADAV/HT Sushil Kumar being taken into custody on Sunday.

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