Sushil Kumar: Indian Olympic hero accused of murdering fellow wrestler

Sushil Kumar celebrating a win at the Commonwealth Games in 2014. | Photo credit should read Andy Buchanan/AFP via Getty Images

All the news and fall out as Indian national hero Sushil Kumar faces accusations of murder S…


Sushil Kumar - CGAMES-2014-WRESTLING
Sushil Kumar celebrating a win at the Commonwealth Games in 2014. | Photo credit should read Andy Buchanan/AFP via Getty Images

All the news and fall out as Indian national hero Sushil Kumar faces accusations of murder

Sushil Kumar is the most decorated wrestler in Indian history and the only Indian athlete to ever win consecutive Olympic medals in an individual sport. He won a bronze medal in the -66kg Freestyle wrestling competition at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and a silver at 2012 London Olympics. He carried the Indian flag at the the opening ceremonies for the 2012 games.

Kumar also won gold at the World Championships in 2010 and gold at the Commonwealth games in 2010, 2014 and 2018.

Kumar is a recipient of the Rajiv Gandhi Kel Ratna award, India’s highest sporting honour.

In May 2021 Kumar was accused of murdering fellow wrestler Sagar Rana at the Chhatrasal Stadium in New Delhi. It is alleged that Kumar and a group of men abducted Rana and his friends and then beat them at the stadium. Police believe Rana was targeted because Kumar believed Rana had disrespected him.

Below are stories that track this ongoing and developing story.