Chief minister of Indian state leads candlelight march in support of protesting wrestlers

NEW DELHI, June 1 (Xinhua) -- The chief minister of India's eastern state of West Bengal came out Thursday in support of protesting wrestlers who have been demanding the arrest of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief over alleged sexual harassment of women athletes.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee staged a candlelight march in Kolkata, the capital city of West Bengal, and described the wrestlers' struggle as a "fight for life, justice and independence."

She was seen leading a huge group of protesters with a candle in her hand.

"Will fight until protesting wrestlers get justice," Banerjee said. "I will request the wrestlers to continue their movement."

The chief minister demanded the immediate arrest of WFI chief Brijbhushan Sharan Singh.

Singh, who is also a lawmaker from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has been outrightly denying the charges against him.

Last month, police filed two complaints against Singh, one of them under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act based on a minor's complaint. The cases were filed after wrestlers approached the country's Supreme Court seeking registration of a case against Singh.

The wrestlers first sat on protest against Singh in January this year.