Three ITBP Constables Arrested For Allegedly Molesting Minor National Level Table Tennis Players In Chhattisgarh

The Chhattisgarh police on Wednesday arrested three Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) constables for allegedly molesting three minor girls.

Hindustan Times reported that the constable belongs to the 29th battalion of the ITBP which is deployed in the Maoist-affected Kondagaon district of Bastar region. The report added that all the three minor girls are national level table tennis players in Kondagaon town.

India is known to be a land of contrasts. On the one hand, we celebrate the success of our leading female sports stars like Sania Mirza and Saina Nehwal. While on the other hand, the situation seems grim and totally different.

Neither Indian sports nor the governing body SAI is new to controversies. Flip through the pages of history and one can find several incidents of misbehaviour and allegations of sexual harassment. 

“On the basis of the complaint lodged by the three minor girls, an FIR was lodged under Section 354 of the IPC and Section 11 and 12 POCSO Act on May 22 and the statement of victims has been taken in front of magistrate. On Wednesday the three accused were arrested,” Kondagaon superintendent of police Abhishek Pallav told Hindustan Times.

The victim in her FIR has alleged that the while they were returning from practice sessions on Tuesday, the three accused ITBP constables asked them for their phones and passed derogatory comments. Hindustan Times report also added that the accused constables tried to force the girls to come with them to the nearby camp.

Earlier in 2013, a constable of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) was arrested for allegedly raping a minor girl in Dharamsala.

In December last year, a 15-year-old athlete from a government-run sports centre and school in north Bengaluru had accused her 50-year-old coach of molestation and sexual harassment. The coach had then told the police that he had only touched her during the throwing training.

On May 07, 2015, a 15-year-old sportsperson died while undergoing training at Water Sports Centre of Sports Authority of India, following alleged harassment by seniors.

In 2010, Hockey India was in news for all the wrong reasons. Few members of the Women hockey team had alleged that the team coach had sexually molested them during the practice sessions.

In 2009, a promising female boxer committed suicide at the stadium for not being able to cope with constant altercations with her coach. An inquiry was ordered in the case, but hostel authorities denied the charges saying the medal-winning pugilist was suffering from low self-esteem.

(With Agency Inputs)