Olympic wrestler Bajrang Punia warned to 'leave Congress' in WhatsApp death threat
Bajrang Punia
Olympic wrestler Bajrang Punia reported receiving a death threat from an unknown individual, according to police on Sunday. The threat, sent via WhatsApp, demanded that Bajrang "leave Congress".
The threat was issued just two days after Bajrang joined the Congress party and was appointed the working chairman of the All India Kisan Congress. The message was sent from an international number, and Bajrang subsequently lodged a formal complaint with the authorities.
In his complaint, Bajrang stated that the message warned him to "leave Congress", or else he and his family would face serious consequences. The message reportedly said, "This is our final message. We will show you our strength before the elections. You can file a complaint anywhere, but this is your first and last warning."
Sonipat SP Ravindra Singh confirmed the ongoing investigation, saying, "An unknown person has issued a threat."
The threat came two days after Bajrang Punia, an Olympic medallist from the Tokyo Games, and fellow wrestler Vinesh Phogat joined Congress ahead of the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections. Vinesh was selected by the Congress as the party’s candidate for the Julana Assembly seat, while Bajrang was named the working chairman of Congress's farmer wing.
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The wrestlers' entry into politics on September 6 immediately drew criticism from former BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who had been accused of sexual harassment by several wrestlers, including Bajrang and Vinesh, ahead of the general elections.
During media interactions, Brij Bhushan claimed that anyone could defeat Vinesh and Bajrang in the Haryana Assembly elections. He also commented on Vinesh's recent disqualification at the Paris Games, attributing it to divine punishment, saying, "God had punished her."
Bajrang and Vinesh were both involved in the protests against Brij Bhushan last year, which eventually led to his trial on sexual harassment charges. Singh has denied the allegations, maintaining that he was not present in Delhi on the day of the alleged incident.
(With inputs from agencies)
