National shooting coach suspended after minor shooter alleges sexual assault

National shooting coach Ankush Bharadwaj has been suspended from all duties after Haryana Police booked him for allegedly sexually assaulting a 17-year-old national-level female shooter at a hotel in Faridabad during a competition-related visit.

An FIR was registered on January 6 at the Women’s Police Station, NIT Faridabad, following a detailed complaint filed by the athlete’s family. The case has been lodged under Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and Section 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Police have launched an investigation, including recording witness statements and collecting CCTV footage from the hotel.

According to the FIR, the alleged incident occurred during a national-level shooting competition at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi. The complaint states that Bharadwaj asked the minor shooter to meet him at the hotel lobby in Faridabad but later pressured her to go to his room under the pretext of evaluating her performance.

The FIR further alleges that the coach threatened to destroy the athlete’s career and harm her family if she disclosed the incident. The shooter reportedly left the hotel in a state of shock and later narrated the ordeal to her family, who subsequently approached the police.

“Considering the seriousness of the allegations, we have asked the hotel administration to immediately provide all CCTV footage from the day of the incident to corroborate the minor’s complaint,” Faridabad Police PRO Yashpal Yadav said.

Bharadwaj is among the 13 national pistol coaches appointed by the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI). The federation said it acted swiftly after learning of the allegations.

“We came to know about the matter through the media. Till the inquiry is completed, coach Ankush has been suspended from all duties and will not be given any new assignment,” NRAI secretary general Pawan Kumar Singh said.

The complaint also reportedly mentions that another female shooter may have faced similar behaviour from the same coach, a claim that investigators are expected to examine as the probe progresses.