ROHTAK: A 26-year-old national-level bodybuilder and para-athlete from Haryana’s Rohtak district, who was allegedly attacked for confronting a group of men harassing women at a wedding in Bhiwani, died of his injuries Saturday.Rohit Dhankhar, a resident of Humayunpur village, was a professional bodybuilder who trained members at Gymkhana Club in Rohtak. In 2018, he won a gold medal at the National Powerlifting Championship in Delhi, conducted by Para Olympic Committee of India. Family members said Rohit – who suffered from a disability in his right leg – was an international medallist, winning two gold medals in 2018. Then-CM Manohar Lal Khattar had honoured him at the Independence Day ceremony that year.
On Friday, Rohit had travelled to Bhiwani with his friend, Jatin, to offer ‘shagun’ at the wedding of Jatin’s relative. According to his kin, a baraat from Tigadana village arrived at the venue late at night, and some men in the group allegedly began misbehaving with women. Rohit warned them, leading to a brief altercation. The harassers walked away, but the situation escalated later.After the ceremony, when Rohit and Jatin left in their vehicle to return home, their car had to halt at a railway crossing as the gate was closed. Family members alleged that nearly 20 attackers, armed with sticks, rods and other weapons, surrounded the duo and assaulted them.Jatin managed to escape, but Rohit was caught and thrashed severely. “There wasn’t a single part of his body without injury marks,” a family member said. After the attackers fled, Jatin returned with help and took Rohit to a local hospital. He was referred to PGIMS, Rohtak, in critical condition. Despite night-long efforts by doctors, Rohit succumbed Saturday.On being informed, Bhiwani Police went to PGIMS. A post-mortem was conducted based on the family’s complaint. Further investigation 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,” one of them said.
