- Dronacharya award winner coach booked for sexually harassing 16-year-old student.
- Coach allegedly called student to gymnasium, then harassed her.
- Student reported incident; police examining evidence, questioning coach.
A 48-year-old gymnastics coach who has been honoured with the Dronacharya Award has been booked by Mumbai Police under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act following a complaint by a 16-year-old student. The student, who had reportedly trained under the coach for several years, has accused him of sexually harassing her at a gymnasium in Mumbai’s Vile Parle area.
Police have registered an FIR under relevant provisions of the POCSO Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The investigation is underway, with officers examining CCTV footage and WhatsApp messages linked to the alleged incident.
Coach Allegedly Called 16-Year-Old To Gymnasium
According to the complaint, the alleged incident took place on Friday morning after the student received a WhatsApp message from the coach.
The coach allegedly sent her a message containing only “Hi” while she was studying at home. The student reportedly responded and informed her mother about the contact. On her mother’s advice, she then asked the coach why he had messaged her.
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According to the complaint, the coach subsequently asked the student about her whereabouts and whether she was available to meet him at the gymnasium. As she had been receiving gymnastics training from him for several years, the student reportedly believed that the meeting could be related to her training.
She therefore went to the gymnasium, where the coach was allegedly alone at the time. The student has alleged that she was asked to bring her footwear inside and close the door from inside.
The two then reportedly spoke about her college and studies before the situation allegedly escalated.
Student Alleges Harassment During Meeting
The student has alleged that the coach behaved inappropriately with her during their conversation. According to her complaint, he allegedly held her hand and pulled her towards him.
She further alleged that when she attempted to move away, he held her around the waist from behind and sexually harassed her. The allegations have been reported by Dainik Bhaskar and form the basis of the police complaint.
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The student reportedly left the gymnasium shortly afterwards and went directly to college. Her friends allegedly noticed that she appeared distressed and asked her what had happened.
She later reportedly spoke about the incident to a teacher, who informed her family. The family subsequently approached the police, following which the complaint was registered against the coach.
Police Examine CCTV, WhatsApp Messages
Vile Parle Police have begun examining evidence as part of their investigation into the allegations.
Investigators are reportedly checking CCTV footage from the gymnasium and nearby areas to establish the sequence of events surrounding the student’s visit.
Police are also examining the WhatsApp exchange between the student and the coach, including the initial message and subsequent communication that allegedly led to the meeting.
The accused coach is being questioned by the police as part of the investigation. Further legal action will depend on the evidence gathered during the probe.
The allegations remain subject to investigation, and no finding of guilt has been established against the accused at this stage.
