Post News Network
Cuttack, Oct 8: Mahila police Wednesday arrested a coach of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) centre, in Barabati stadium on charges of molesting a girl athlete.
The Cuttack sub-divisional judicial magistrate (SDJM) has recorded the victim’s complaint under section 164 of the IPC. Police sent the girl for medical check-up.
According to sources, the girl, a gold medal winner in long distance race at east zone athletic meet, is being trained at the SAI centre along with seven others. Coach Sushanta Ray has allegedly been sexually harassing the sprinter for the past few days.
The complainant has filed an FIR with Mahila police alleging Ray molested her repeatedly during the training period. He also tortured the girl physically and mentally when she protested his behaviour, she alleged.
Sources said the athlete Wednesday entered into an argument with a few co-trainees over some issue. Ray who came to the spot slapped the girl and threatened to oust her from the centre.
“The coach slapped me outside the centre and threatened to kill me. I have reported the incident to the chief of the training centre,” the victim told to media.
The minor also narrated the incident to her parents and subsequently lodged a complaint with Mahila police.
“Our daughter told us everything over phone including how the coach has slapped her,” victim’s father Sheikh Mamun Rashid said.
Assistant commissioner of police (Zone 2 ACP) Sitaram Satpathy said Mahila police have filed a case under various sections of IPC as per the complaint of the sprinter.
“Police nabbed the accused after a preliminary investigation. They have interrogated the accused and a few others in this connection,” Satpathy said.
When contacted, SAI centre chief Manoj Kumar Vadra said he learnt about the incident when the victim informed him over phone.
Ray, however, rejected the sexual assault charge. “Yes, as a teacher, I’ve slapped her for fighting with other athletes. But, the sexual harassment charge is false,” he said.