Coach accused of harassing Odisha woman athlete arrested

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Cuttack, Oct 8:

A day after a woman athlete of Sports Authority of India (SAI) levelled harassment charges against her coach, the Commissionerate Police in Odisha’s Millennium City arrested the accused trainer, police said today.

The accused, Sushant Roy, has been arrested and we are investigating into the case, Cuttack DCP Sanjeev Arora told mediapersons today.

“Prima facie we have got some evidences against him. Based on that, we have arrested him and several sections of the IPC have been slapped against him,” DCP Sanjeev Arora said.

The complainant staying in SAI hostel here had yesterday levelled charges of harassment against her coach. The athlete had also lodged a written complaint with the Mahila police station in the city in this regard.

In her complaint, the athlete had stated that she was subjected to physical and mental torture by her coach for the last three months. The athlete was accompanied by her family members to the police station to lodge the complaint.

Notably, cases under Sections 354 (A), 323, 294, 506 and 34 of IPC and Section-10 of Protection of Children Sexual Offence Act has been registered against the accused.

Following the athlete’s complaint, police visited SAI hostel and conducted an inquiry. During its inquiry, the police questioned fellow athletes of the complainant, the coach and other boarders of the hostel.

The coach has, however, denied the allegations. Stating that he had reprimanded the athletes as they had quarrelled among themselves in the morning, he claimed that the complaint could be fallout of that.

The woman athlete is reported to be under a three-year contract with SAI hostel.