Ankush Bharadwaj is a national pistol coach appointed by the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI), one of 13 specialists responsible for training elite shooters in the country’s competitive shooting. He had been a national-level coach and had the task of mentoring young shooters at major events. His role placed him in a position where he can develop and influence sports talent, especially in pistol disciplines.
What Are The Charges Against Ankush Bharadwaj?
However, Bharadwaj’s professional life has been shaken up when a national level girl shooter of 17 years charged him with sexually assaulting her during her national competition stay in Faridabad, Haryana. According to the FIR lodged by the athlete’s family, the alleged incident occurred after the shooter had her day at the shooting competition at Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi. It is said that Bharadwaj lured her to his hotel room saying they would be discussing her performance, and once the door was shut, he raped her and threatened her saying he would destroy her career and her family would get killed if she told anyone.
Investigation By Haryana Police
The cops of Haryana opened a case in the wake of the accusations under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and related provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and they are gathering evidence in the form of CCTV footage and witness testimonies. The NRAI has suspended Bharadwaj from all coaching roles until the investigation is completed, and the federation’s secretary general has indicated that no new assignments would be given to him until the inquiries are concluded. The complaint goes on to say that another female shooter might have gone through similar misconduct by the same coach and this aspect is now being looked into as part of the current investigation.
