Kabaddi players served food in toilet, UP official suspended

The issue came to light after a video, reportedly shot by a player that shows rice and poori kept in a toilet, went viral on social media on Sunday. The inquiry report will be submitted in three days, the DM’s office said

The Uttar Pradesh government suspended the regional sports officer in Saharanpur for dereliction of duty after players in a state-level sub-junior kabaddi tournament there alleged they were served sub-standard food that was kept in a toilet. The Saharanpur district magistrate Akhilesh Singh ordered an inquiry.

Food that was allegedly stored in a toilet being served to kabaddi players at a state-level tournament in Saharanpur. (PTI Photo)

The issue came to light after a video, reportedly shot by a player that shows rice and poori kept in a toilet, went viral on social media on Sunday. The inquiry report will be submitted in three days, the DM’s office said.

Union sports minister Anurag Thakur said he directed the UP sports department to take strict action against the contractors and officers. “I have also directed that the contractor be blacklisted from future events. This is a standing instruction for everywhere; such incidents should not happen,” he said.

Thakur said sports facilities have seen great improvements under the BJP government. “If you go to NIS Patiala or any other sports centre across the country, you will see that there is nutrition and the food available is comparable to a five-star hotel,” Thakur added.

Additional district magistrate (finance) Rajbeer Kumar Mishra had been directed to probe into the matter on Monday and he will submit his report in three days, confirmed the DM’s office.

Additional chief secretary (sports) Navneet Sehgal suspended regional sports officer of Saharanpur, Animesh Saxena. He informed that the contractor, who cooked the food and supplied it to the players, had been blacklisted. “Action against other officials, who were involved in serving the food, too has been recommended and adverse entries in their records are being registered,” a UP government media release said.

A three-day sub-junior kabaddi meet was organised at the BR Ambedkar Stadium from September 16. Many players complained that the rice served was half-cooked and they were made to wait in long queues. Later, utensils containing rice were seen kept in a toilet.

Saxena, the suspended official, claimed that the players had arrived on September 15 and were served food and that he directed the cooks not to serve leftover food the next day. “I scolded the contractor for keeping the leftover rice outside the bathroom. The rice was spoilt and kept outside the bathroom and a photographer pushed it inside and asked the players to start taking it from there itself so that he can have a good picture,” Saxena said on Tuesday after he was asked to report to the sports directorate in Lucknow.

UP director sports RP Singh said as soon as the authorities came to know about the incident, Saxena was suspended.