Two Faces Of Wrestler Sushil Kumar: Olympic Legend & Murder Accused

Sushil Kumar’s wikipedia page, which profiles the celebrated wrestler’s awe-inspiring journey from south west Delhi’s Baprola village to his incredible podium finishes in the Olympics, Asiad, CWG and World Championships, has a recent update.

- Sabi Hussain

New Delhi:An update which no sports lover in the country, even ‘pehelwan’ Sushil himself, would have thought they would ever see. It reads: “On 23 May 2021, he (read Sushil) was arrested over alleged involvement in the murder of a 23-year-old fellow wrestler Sagar Dhankar in Delhi.”

Those who knew him personally would often say that the diminutive grappler from a humble family background was an affable person – an obedient son and a caring brother, a loving husband and a doting father, and a faithful friend who would, in some cases, go out of his away to help his loyalists.

But a few others who knew about Sushil’s alleged dubious business dealings would beg to differ. They feared this day for long and Sushil’s brush with the law hasn’t surprised them.

A former national wrestling coach, who has worked closely with Sushil since his Beijing Olympics days and played a key role during his return to competition in December 2017 after a hiatus of three years, said: “For general public and to the parents of budding wrestlers and trainees of other sports disciplines, Chhatrasal stadium has always been considered a sanctum sanctorum of sports activities.