After Kolkata, Bengaluru coach charged with sexual assault of 15-year-old at sports meet

BENGALURU: A 15-year-old athlete from the city was allegedly sexually harassed by her coach while she was attending a sports event. Though the incident occurred in November, a complaint regarding the same was filed at Chikkajala police station on Tuesday. 

The girl is a student of a Sports School in Bengaluru, run by the Department of Youth Services and Sports.

According to police sources, the athlete resides in the sports hostel of the department. Recently the team had visited another state to attend a sports meet, during which the coach allegedly sexually assaulted the athlete. He later threatened her with dire consequences if she informed anyone about the incident.

The girl who returned with the team informed her parents, who then raised the issue with the hostel authorities. Later, they filed a complaint with the police on Tuesday.

Director of Youth Empowerment and Sports Department, Anupam Agarwal said, "Five days ago, we received a complaint against a teacher alleging that he had behaved inappropriately with a minor inmate of the hostel, after which we informed about it to the police.”

Additional commissioner of police (east) Seemanth Kumar Singh said that they had received a complaint on Tuesday and are investigating it.

Police have formed teams to nab the accused coach who is absconding since three days. A case under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act of 2012 IPC 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 509 (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) and 346 (wrongful confinement in secret) has been booked against the accused.