Para-athlete attacked for taking on group harassing women dies

ROHTAK: A 26-year-old national-level bodybuilder and para-athlete from Haryana's Rohtak district, who was allegedly attacked for confronting a radical of men harassing women astatine a wedding successful Bhiwani, died of his injuries Saturday.Rohit Dhankhar, a nonmigratory of Humayunpur village, was a nonrecreational bodybuilder who trained members astatine Gymkhana Club successful Rohtak. In 2018, helium won a golden medal astatine the National Powerlifting Championship successful Delhi, conducted by Para Olympic Committee of India. Family members said Rohit - who suffered from a disablement successful his close limb - was an planetary medallist, winning 2 golden medals successful 2018. Then-CM Manohar Lal Khattar had honoured him astatine the Independence Day ceremonial that year.On Friday, Rohit had travelled to Bhiwani with his friend, Jatin, to connection 'shagun' astatine the wedding of Jatin's relative. According to his kin, a baraat from Tigadana colony arrived astatine the venue precocious astatine night, and immoderate men successful the radical allegedly began misbehaving with women. Rohit warned them, starring to a little altercation. The harassers walked away, but the concern escalated later.After the ceremony, erstwhile Rohit and Jatin near successful their conveyance to instrumentality home, their car had to halt astatine a railway crossing arsenic the gross was closed.

Family members alleged that astir 20 attackers, equipped with sticks, rods and different weapons, surrounded the duo and assaulted them.Jatin managed to escape, but Rohit was caught and thrashed severely. "There wasn't a azygous portion of his assemblage without wounded marks," a household subordinate said. After the attackers fled, Jatin returned with assistance and took Rohit to a section hospital. He was referred to PGIMS, Rohtak, successful captious condition.

Despite night-long efforts by doctors, Rohit succumbed Saturday.On being informed, Bhiwani Police went to PGIMS. A post-mortem was conducted based connected the family's complaint. Further probe was underway.Rohit's brother-in-law, Ravi Khassa, and uncle, Satish Dhanakhar, demanded the harshest punishment for the assailants. "This was a planned murder. He stood up for the dignity of women & paid with his life," 1 of them said.