Shooting coach booked for sexually assaulting 17-year-old national-level player in Faridabad

A 17-year-old national-level shooter has accused her coach of sexually assaulting her at a hotel in Faridabad last month, saying he had pressured her to meet him at his hotel to review her performance at an ongoing competition.

Police said a first information report (FIR) has been registered on the basis of a complaint received from the girl’s mother, and efforts were underway to secure CCTV footage of the hotel and record statements of witnesses connected to the case

According to the FIR, the alleged incident took place on December 16 after she participated in a national-level shooting competition at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Ranges in south Delhi’s Tughlakabad.

After the match, the coach allegedly asked her to meet him at the lobby of a Surajkund hotel in Faridabad, where he was staying, to analyse her performance, the FIR said. When she went to the hotel, she was allegedly pressured to go to the coach’s room on the pretext of holding a more focused discussion.

At his hotel room, the FIR said the coach allegedly sexually assaulted her and threatened to ruin her career and harm her family if she disclosed what had happened.

The FIR also referred to an instance in December when he had allegedly entered a facility where women shooters were staying in Mohali.

Based on the complaint, a senior police officer said a case was registered on Tuesday at the Women police station NIT Faridabad under Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and Section 351(2) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on Tuesday at, as the athlete was a minor at the time of the alleged offence, officers said.

Senior police officers said teams have been tasked with collecting electronic and forensic evidence, including hotel CCTV footage, call records and travel details, and recording statements of the hotel staff and other potential witnesses.

“The allegations are serious. We are following due process and ensuring that all evidence is preserved,” an officer said.

Police said he will be questioned as part of the investigation.