Rohtak bodybuilder killed after confronting men harassing women at Bhiwani wedding

New Delhi: A 26-year-old bodybuilder from Rohtak died after he was brutally assaulted for objecting to the harassment of women at a wedding in Bhiwani, Haryana. The victim, Rohit Dhankhar of Humayunpur village, had travelled with his friend Jatin on Friday to attend a relative’s function and offer shagun.

According to the family, a baraat from Tigadana village arrived late at night, during which some men allegedly began misbehaving with women at the venue. Rohit intervened and warned them, resulting in a brief confrontation before the group dispersed.

The situation escalated later when Rohit and Jatin were returning home. As they halted at a railway crossing, nearly 20 men armed with sticks and other weapons allegedly surrounded their car and attacked them. While Jatin managed to escape, Rohit was caught, beaten with sticks and rods, and left grievously injured.

Family members said Rohit had injuries all over his body. Jatin later returned with help and rushed him to a nearby hospital, from where he was referred to PGIMS Rohtak in critical condition. Despite efforts through the night, he succumbed to his injuries on Saturday.

Bhiwani police arrived at PGIMS after receiving information and conducted a postmortem based on the family’s complaint. An investigation is underway.

Rohit, a professional bodybuilder and trainer at Rohtak’s Gymkhana Club, had represented India internationally and won two gold medals in 2018. He was also honoured by then Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar during the Independence Day celebrations that year.

Demanding strict action, his brother-in-law Ravi Khassa and uncle Satish Dhanakhar alleged the attack was a pre-planned murder. "He stood up for the dignity of women and paid with his life,” they said.