Postponement of a championship had angered the grappler
CHANDIGARH: Russian wrestler Nikita, who led a violent charge by 16 international grapplers, including four of Indian origin, at the media in Ludhiana on Thursday after a championship was postponed, was booked on Friday. The police also seized his passport, besides booking the organisers for violating legal provisions to stage the championship.
Nikita burst out hurling racial abuses at media persons and Indians at large after he was informed that the championship scheduled to be held at three different places in Punjab from October 26 had been deferred. He called the scribes “ugly Indian cheats”.
Soon the media conference room turned into a wrestling ring where it was free-for-all for at least half-an-hour forcing the media persons gathered to flee for their lives.
The championship ran into rough weather after organisers Universal Wrestling Stars failed to procure permission from security agencies and the sports department. Besides, they were asked to cough up 125 per cent of the collections from the sale of tickets in Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Patiala, venues for the bouts, as entertainment tax.
Nikita challenged all Indians for a bout with him and threw a table at media persons. “I am here to kill you,” he said.
“It was complete chaos for more than 10 minutes during which wrestlers also scuffled with one another and roughed up journos,” said Karamjit Singh, a media person.Later, apologising to the media, Tiger Jit Singh, a wrestler of Punjab origin, said, “We are disappointed and know that people too will be unhappy over this postponement. However, we will come again.”
Tiger Jit Singh and Tiger Ali told the media, “It was a championship of India versus rest of the world. We promise to return and win.”
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