Faridabad Sexual Assault: The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has suspended coach Ankush Bharadwaj after a 17-year-old national level woman shooter accused him of sexually assaulting her in Haryana’s Faridabad. The athlete claimed that the incident occurred last year on December 16 at a hotel in Surajkund after Bharadwaj asked her to meet privately on the pretext of reviewing her performance. Bharadwaj has not been arrested or detained till now.
The Haryana police lodged a first information report (FIR) based on a complaint from the girl’s mother on Tuesday. A case was registered against the coach under Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and Section 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Currently, the police are securing the CCTV footage of the hotel and recording the statements of witnesses connected to the case.
Called To Room To Analyse Performance
According to the complaint, the minor was asked to come to the lobby of a hotel in Faridabad’s Surajkund on the pretext of analysing her shooting in detail. He then allegedly pressured the minor by saying that the talks would be more productive inside his room.
How Did the Coach Threaten The Minor
The coach first allegedly sexually assaulted the minor after forcing her into the hotel room. He then threatened to destroy her career and warned of consequences if she informed her family about the incident, stated the complaint accessed by Hindustan Times.
The minor was allowed to go post the assault and threats. She later disclosed the incident to her family after which a police complaint was filed.
CCTV Footage To Be Examined
“Looking at the seriousness of the case, we have already asked the hotel administration to share all the CCTV camera footage of the day of the incident immediately to corroborate the allegations of the minor girl,” Yashpal Yadav, public relations officer of Faridabad police stated, as quoted by HT.