Wrestling coach booked for sexual harassment of trainees

A wrestling coach at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) centre here, Satbir Singh Panghal, was booked on Saturday under section 354 (sexual harassment) and relevant sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), 2012, on the complaint of a group of teenaged wrestlers, who were undergoing training at the centre.

A wrestling coach at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) centre here, Satbir Singh Panghal, was booked on Saturday under section 354 (sexual harassment) and relevant sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), 2012, on the complaint of a group of teenaged wrestlers, who were undergoing training at the centre.

HT Image

The girls are between the age of 14 and 18. The parents of the girls met DSP Vinod Chalia, seeking stern action against the coach. The SAI centre incharge, Rajendra Bishnoi, has informed his seniors about the incident and a departmental probe was expected.

Earlier, Panghal, while refuting the charges, had claimed that he had ousted one of the girls from the ground for not performing up to the mark and she, along with coach Kulwant, had hatched a conspiracy against him. "Some coaches are jealous of my achievements and are behind the complaints, which are baseless and motivated," Panghal had said.

The girls had complained that the coach used to kiss them; touch their body parts in the name of checking dress and enter their hostel room without permission.

Shakuntla Jakhar, president, Janwadi Mahila Samiti, has demanded immediate arrest of the accused as the allegations were serious in nature.

Inspector Bimla Chaudhry said that the accused was absconding and the police have asked him to join the investigations.