‘They could have thrown Sagar out of Chhatrasal… taking his life unacceptable’

The temper is sombre within the Dhankhar family at Shiv Nagar, Sonepat. Menfolk, lighting bidis and sipping tea, sit on chairs organized in a semi-circle in a slim lane in entrance of the home. The ladies are inside dimly-lit rooms. The dialog among the many close-knit household is tinged with anger and disappointment.
The final of the guests have left after attending the terhvi, a ritual held on the thirteenth day after demise. The household waited for less than eight days after Sagar Dhankhar, the eldest boy and a wrestler, handed away on May 5.
The grief of shedding a 23-year-old was an excessive amount of to bear.
After Sagar’s demise in a lethal brawl, Sushil Kumar, certainly one of India’s most profitable Olympians, went into hiding.
Sushil’s alma mater, Chhatrasal Stadium has acquired notoriety since Sagar, a former junior nationwide champion and a 97-kg Greco-Roman wrestler, died after being attacked inside its premises.
Among those that attended the terhvi on Thursday have been wrestlers who practice on the well-known Chhatrasal akhada in North-West Delhi. One of the pehelwans claims to be a witness to the alleged incident. In his phrases, he’s fortunate to be alive.
Floral tributes and a framed and garlanded {photograph} of Sagar is positioned on a desk on the entrance of the home. Emotions are operating excessive with every retelling of the alleged brutal assault on the boy who cherished his mom’s home-made dahi.
For Ashok Dhankhar, Sagar’s father, a head constable with Delhi Police, the occasions across the demise of his son, which police declare is captured on a cell phone recording, quantities to a betrayal by the ‘guru’.
“Sagar had been at Chhatrasal for nearly eight years. He considered Sushil as his guru. I handed over my son to Mahabali Satpal, who runs Chhatrasal akhada. They promised to make him a fine wrestler. He has won medals and represented India in international competitions. He was proud to be part of Chhatrasal. Par guru hote hue… (despite being the guru),” Ashok’s voice fades.
Once Sagar was inducted into Chhatrasal on the age of 15, his bond with the wrestling nursery grew to become sturdy. Sagar would solely make flying visits house.
If he stayed the night time over, he awakened early to coach at an area academy. “He never missed a day of training. He didn’t want to let down his mentors,” Ashok says.
Why is the query
Sagar’s chacha Narendra Dhankhar sits exterior the home in Shiv Nagar, Sonepat.
Narendra Dhankhar, Sagar’s chacha, says the sensation among the many clan is that the accused have gone too far.
“If Sagar did something wrong, they could have slapped him or thrown him out of Chhatrasal for good. They should have called me up or his father and told us what he was doing and why it could not be tolerated. We would have advised Sagar. But taking his life is unacceptable,” Narendra says.
Delhi Police, after conducting unsuccessful raids to nab Sushil, have issued a lookout discover in opposition to the two-time Olympic medallist over his alleged position in Sagar’s demise. An FIR of homicide, abduction and legal conspiracy has been registered in opposition to him.
Sagar additionally appears to have been within the improper firm. One of Sagar’s mates, Sonu Mahal, who was injured within the brawl and is a key witness, has hyperlinks with gangster Kala Jatheri, is what Delhi Police have ascertained. Sonu from Sonepat is a contract killer. He can also be named as one of many accused who waylaid a police van in Jhajjar and murdered three undertrials and injured two policemen. A ‘highly desperate criminal’ is how Sonu is described within the legal file. It was Sonu who knowledgeable the cops about Sushil’s alleged involvement within the brawl.
Sushil distanced himself from the brawl in the one remark he has made to date. “They weren’t our wrestlers, it happened late last night. We have informed police officials that some unknown people jumped into our premises and fought. No connection of our stadium with this incident,” Sushil had instructed ANI.
Among these giving Ashok ethical help is wrestler Ravinder, a Chhatrasal trainee, who claims he was with Sagar on the fateful night time.
“I won’t be training at Chhatrasal anymore. I will cut all links with Chhatrasal. An akhada is like a spiritual place for a wrestler. With Sagar’s death, Chhatrasal is not the same hallowed place for me. There are other wrestlers who will leave too,” Ravinder says.
Strong bond
A information report about Sushil searching for refuge with a yoga guru in Haridwar is the subject of dialog in Sagar’s home on the finish of the terhvi. The household has lived right here, near Mission Chowk, for 3 a long time. They have deep roots within the space. Everyone has a Chhatrasal-Sushil-Sagar story to relate.
Narendra talks a few bond between Sushil and his nephew.
Sagar Dhankhar’s father Ashok through the terhvi ritual at their house in Shiv Nagar, Sonepat.
“Till recently, Sushil took Sagar along when he stepped out of Chhatrasal Stadium for any work. Sagar was six-foot plus, close to 100 kilograms. He had won medals and represented India in international competitions. Having a wrestler of that size and power in your inner circle adds to your aura, even if you are an Olympic medallist,” Narendra says.
According to police sources investigating the case, the fallout occurred when Sagar was requested to vacate a home close to the stadium. Sushil didn’t prefer it when Sagar bad-mouthed him after being pressured to shift, is the police model.Narendra says the home difficulty did blow over. He factors to a different incident from just a few months in the past which had the potential to trigger friction between the guru and shishya, however was settled.
A coach who was coaching Sagar didn’t see eye-to-eye with Sushil. He needed to go away Chhatrasal. Sagar too had determined to observe the coach and be part of the academy he began in Narela. It was Sushil, Narendra believes, who satisfied Sagar to remain again.
“Sushil is the one who offered Sagar the house close to the stadium. Sushil wanted Sagar to be part of Chhatrasal and train with the group even if he opted to stay outside. So, I don’t know why Sagar was attacked. As far as I know, he was happy to be part of the Chhatrasal set-up. Yes, there was talk of another wrestler being promoted over Sagar. Maybe that became an issue. We don’t know.”
Going by what relations say, Sagar wasn’t a tantrum-thrower nor misplaced his cool. “He never looked his elders in the eye. His gaze was always down. He gave everyone respect. It is hard to believe Sagar would have started a fight, that too at a stadium which has given him so much,” is how Dalsher Siwach, Sagar’s mama, describes the Greco-Roman wrestler.
Narendra is shocked by the alleged brutality of the assault. “He was beaten black and blue. A hit to the head resulted in his death,” Narendra concludes after studying the autopsy report on his cellphone.
“Do you know that Sushil himself had visited Sagar’s home. They were close,” Dalsher claims.
Wrestling within the blood
Ashok harks again to the day his son, then 15, acquired the nod from Mahabali Satpal – the extremely revered coach at Chhatrasal, an Asian Games gold medallist and Sushil’s father-in-law. Before Sushil, Satpal’s writ ran massive on the stadium.
The father and son had travelled from Shiv Nagar to North-West Delhi eight years in the past hoping to get an viewers and a trial.
Sagar, a former Greco-Roman junior nationwide champion, competed within the 97 kg class and received a number of medals.
“One of the coaches spoke to Mahabali and he agreed to give Sagar a trial. Sagar had to fight for three rounds against three different wrestlers. Sagar’s eyes lit up when he saw Mahabali watching him. What more can a young wrestler ask for? He was selected,” Ashok says, recalling the day Sagar set foot in Chhatrasal.
“He wanted to be an Olympian and spoke about winning a big medal for the country, like Sushil. He had the potential because kushti was in his blood.”
The wrestling lineage comes from Sagar’s grandfather Rameshwar, a mud-pit wrestler and a preferred identify at dangals. It was Rameshwar who accompanied a nine-year-old Sagar to an academy at an area faculty. Rameshwar was a military man who grew to become a sarpanch. His phrase was last when it got here to massive choices within the household or the village.
“Sagar loved wrestling from the very first day. I don’t remember a single occasion he cribbed about training. He had a bright future in the sport, at least that is what we thought,” Ashok says.
Sagar’s accreditation playing cards from the Junior Asian Championships and the Junior World Championships in 2017 are treasured possessions for the household. So are his national-level medals and certificates.
Sagar’s varied national-level certificates in his residence in Sonepat.
His mom Savita is heartbroken. Omvati, Sagar’s grandmother, has been making an attempt to console her. Savita watches Sagar’s wrestling movies uploaded on YouTube when she will’t sleep at night time.
“Sagar’s mother is not eating properly. She was prescribed sleeping pills by the doctor. We are worried about her,” Dalsher provides.
The household needs these responsible to be dropped at ebook however are operating out of endurance with every passing day. With the rituals over, Ashok plans to return to responsibility subsequent week. Top police officers have promised Ashok swift motion within the coming days. He is assured that his seniors will hold their phrase. “Those involved are big names. But we want justice. As a member of the police force, giving people justice is what I have tried to do all my life.”