Alleged Sexual Assault of National Athlete: Coach Suspended Over POCSO Case

New Delhi: National shooting coach Ankush Bharadwaj has been suspended from the National Rifle Association of India following allegations that he sexually assaulted a minor athlete. The Haryana Police have registered a case under the POCSO Act against him. According to the complaint, the 17-year-old girl was taken to a hotel in Faridabad under the pretext of reviewing her performance in a shooting competition, where she was allegedly sexually assaulted.

The case was registered based on a complaint filed by the victim’s family. The complaint states that the coach threatened the girl, warning that her career would be ruined if she disclosed the assault. The incident allegedly occurred on December 16. After participating in a national-level shooting competition at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range in Delhi, the coach reportedly took the girl to a hotel, claiming that a focused discussion on her performance was needed, and then took her to his room.

Police are continuing the investigation and have collected CCTV footage related to the incident. Officials said the coach would be questioned soon. Ankush Bharadwaj was one of the 13 national pistol coaches appointed by the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI). NRAI Secretary General Pawan Kumar Singh confirmed that Bharadwaj has been removed from his coaching position.