Sushil Kumar Managed to Evade Arrest Due to Connections with Gangsters and Support from Fan Base, Says Police

The cat-and-mouse chase between Sushil Kumar and the Delhi police has finally come to an end after he was finally arrested along with another co-accused. 

Due to his alleged involvement in the assault and subsequent death of international wrestler Sagar Dhankar, Kumar, a two-time Olympic medalist, has been charged under Sections 302 (murder), 365 (abduction), and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Kumar has been absconding since the news of Dhankar's death became public, according to police sources, and has been living in various hideouts in and around the National Capital Region.

The 37-year-old was firstly reported hiding in Yoga Guru's ashram in Haridwar. Stories about the wrestler's hideouts in Rishikesh, Bhantina, and Meerut have been making headlines since then.

Kumar has also been highly cautious in his use of technology for communication, according to the police. He's been flipping sim cards before making calls and going online for brief periods of time to use apps like WhatsApp before turning his phone off again. 

"Moreover Kumar has links with many gangsters. They are helping him stay off the grid," the officer added, according to The Print. 

Kumar's popularity among fans in the area is another explanation why the police believe it has been difficult to apprehend him.

"Sushil Kumar as an international wrestler enjoys a huge fan base in Delhi-NCR, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh… Most pehelwans (wrestlers) in the region consider him a guru and are his chelas (disciples). They have been helping him switch locations with new hideouts," says a Delhi police officer.

"The pehelwan fraternity here is very dedicated to Sushil Kumar. They don't want to let out any information on his whereabouts," he adds.

The Delhi Police had also offered a reward of Rs. 1 lakh to anyone who can provide information on Sushil Kumar's whereabouts. 

Sushil Kumar and his associates allegedly assaulted fellow wrestler Sagar Rana, 23, and two friends on May 4 at the national capital's Chhatrasal Stadium, according to police. The three had to be admitted to the hospital. Mr Rana died as a result of his injuries.

According to a source, India's two-time Olympic medalist Sushil Kumar was arrested by Delhi Police on Saturday after being on the run for over a fortnight. 

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