"IT Cell Spreading...": Bajrang Punia On Morphed Pic Of Wrestlers

Wrestler Bajrang Punia has slammed "IT cell people" after a morphed photo of Sangeeta Phogat and Vinesh Phogat, showing them smiling while being detained by the police, appeared on Twitter.

The wrestlers including Sakshi Malik were detained along with their supporters today when they tried to march to the new parliament building as it was being inaugurated.

The Delhi Police have also cleared their protest site at Jantar Mantar.

Bajrang Punia tweeted two photos - one morphed and the other genuine. The genuine one doesn't show Sangeeta Phogat and Vinesh Phogat smiling.

The altered one, however, shows them smiling, indicating they are not serious about their protest.

"IT cell people are spreading this false picture. We make it clear that a complaint will be filed against whoever posted this fake picture," Bajrang Punia tweeted.

The athletes have been protesting against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, demanding his arrest for alleged sexual harassment.

Chaotic scenes were seen today at the protest site at Jantar Mantar, 3 km from where the new parliament building was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Immediately after the wrestlers were pushed into buses and taken to different locations, the Delhi Police began clearing the protest site by removing cots, mattresses, coolers, fans and a tarpaulin ceiling, along with other belongings of the wrestlers.

Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Dependra Pathak said the protesters ignored repeated requests and warnings and "wrestled" with police personnel who tried to stop them.

"Today was an important day for the country as the new parliament building was to be inaugurated and despite warning not to march beyond the protest site, they continued to do so," he said, adding the behaviour of the wrestlers was "highly irresponsible".