A 26-year-old professional bodybuilder from Rohtak died of injuries following a brutal assault by a around 20 unidentified persons soon after he objected to a group of youth harassing girls at a wedding venue leading to an argument, police Saturday said.
The incident took place in Bhiwani on Friday night and Rohit Dhankar, a resident of Humayunpur village, succumbed to his injuries at Rohtak PGI, Saturday, they said.
Rohit worked as a bodybuilder and gym trainer at the Gymkhana Club in Sector 4, Rohtak. He had previously won gold medals in the 2018 senior (107+ kg) and junior (107+ kg) categories at national-level competitions. He was also honoured by the then Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on August 15, 2018.
According to the his family, Rohit had attended a wedding in Bhiwani along with his friend Jatin, a resident of Bondkalan village. During the ceremony, the baraat from Tigdana village arrived, and some youths from the group allegedly began harassing girls present at the venue. Rohit intervened and objected to their behaviour, leading to a brief argument. The youths left soon after.
Rohit’s family claimed that after the wedding concluded, Rohit and Jatin left in their vehicle for home. However, they were allegedly intercepted on the road by around 20 attackers armed with rods and sharp-edged weapons. Due to a closed railway crossing, they were forced to stop their vehicle, giving the assailants an opportunity to surround them.
Rohit’s uncle Satish Dhankar said, “They tried to flee on foot but attackers caught Rohit while Jatin managed to escape. Rohit was brutally beaten. There was not a single part of his body that didn’t have injury marks. After the attackers left, Jatin took Rohit to a nearby hospital, from where he was referred to PGIMS, Rohtak, late night. He died today”.
Rohit’s father, Satyawan Dhankar died in 2017 due to heart attack. Rohit was the sole bread winner for his mother and sister. Satish Dhankar said that “their family had struggled after Satyawan’s death, with Rohit’s mother raising him by working as a tailor”.
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Speaking to mediapersons in Rohtak, Rohit’s brother-in-law, Ravi Khassa, said, “The family is devastated and is demanding the death penalty for the accused”. He also urged police to ensure the attackers do not escape justice. Rohit’s uncle went a step further, demanding that the accused be “encountered” for the brutality committed.
After receiving information about Rohit’s death, Bhiwani police arrived at PGIMS (Rohtak), recorded the family’s statements, and got the post-mortem examination conducted. The body was later handed over to the family.
Police officials said that multiple teams have been formed to identify and track down the suspects.
