UP official suspended after video shows kabaddi players’ food kept in toilet

The issue came to light after a video went viral on social media on Sunday in which cooked rice and puri were seen kept in a toilet at the Dr B R Ambedkar stadium in Uttar Pradesh’s Sahranpur

The Uttar Pradesh government has suspended the regional sports officer of Sahranpur after the players at a state level kabbadi tournament at the Dr B R Ambedkar stadium here alleged that they were served substandard food kept in a toilet. The district magistrate of Sahranpur has ordered an inquiry into the incident.

The Sahranpur district magistrate has ordered an inquiry into the incident. (Video grab)

The issue came to light after a video, supposedly shot by a player in the tournament, went viral on social media on Sunday in which cooked rice and puri were seen kept in a toilet.

The office of Sahranpur district magistrate, Akhilesh Singh, confirmed that additional district magistrate (finance) Rajbeer Kumar Mishra has been directed to probe the matter on Monday and he will submit his report in three days.

Meanwhile, additional chief secretary (sports) Navneet Sehgal has suspended regional sports officer of Saharanpur, Animesh Saxena.

City magistrate A P Singh visited the stadium and met sports officials to enquire about the matter. He also asked them to submit their explanation on the issue.

A three-day state level sub junior Kabaddi tournament was organised at the Dr B R Ambedkar stadium of Saharanpur from September 16. The players were served food on September 16 and many of them complained that the rice was half cooked. The players also alleged that they were made to wait in long queues for food. Later, the utensils in which rice were kept were spotted inside a toilet and some puri were also kept there.

Speaking to HT over phone, suspended RSO Animesh Saxena claimed that the teams arrived for the tournament on September 15 and food was served to the players. He claimed that he directed the cooks not to serve the previous day’s leftover food to the players. He further claimed that the same leftover rice and puri were seen in the video which the staff kept in a changing room of a swimming pool in order to keep them away from fresh food.