Protesting wrestlers meet Sports Minister Anurag Thakur

New Delhi: A crucial meeting between top wrestlers led by Bajrang Punia and Sports Minister Anurag Thakur began at his residence on Wednesday morning as the government continued its effort to strike a deal with the protesting grapplers against outgoing WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

The meeting was called upon by Thakur to break the impasse which has been going on for more than a month.

It is the second round of meeting between the government and protesting wrestlers, who met Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday night.

The wrestlers have been protesting against Brij Bhushan, demanding his arrest for alleged sexual harassment of seven women grapplers.

Also read: Anurag Thakur assures of fair investigation into wrestlers' allegations

Earlier on Tuesday, the Delhi Police recorded the statements of Singh's associates and those working at his residence in Uttar Pradesh's Gonda as part of the investigation, officials said.

They also said a minor complainant whose statement was the basis of a case registered against Singh under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has recorded a fresh statement under the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) section 164.

Protesting wrestlers meet Amit Shah

Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik had met Union Minister Amit Shah on Saturday night to apprise him of their demands.

While the government, reportedly, had shown willingness to accept most of their demands during the Saturday meeting, it did not agree for immediate arrest of the WFI Chief Singh, who the wrestlers have accused of sexual exploitation.

The wrestlers, though, remained adamant on their demand regarding the arrest of Singh, and the meeting remained inconclusive.