National shooting coach booked for alleged sexual assault on minor girl, NRAI suspends him

New Delhi: Ankush Bhardwaj, a senior member of India’s shooting coaching staff, has been suspended by the national federation following allegations by a minor shooter that he sexually assaulted her during the National Championships held last month.

The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) confirmed that an FIR has been registered against Bhardwaj in Faridabad. A resident of Mohali, Bhardwaj has been booked under Section 6 of the POCSO Act for aggravated sexual assault and under Section 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for criminal intimidation.

“NRAI has placed him under suspension, and a show-cause notice will be issued,” NRAI secretary Rajiv Bhatia told PTI.

“He has been suspended on moral grounds. It is now for him to establish his innocence. Until the inquiry is completed, he will not be involved in any coaching-related activities,” Bhatia said.

Bhatia added that Bhardwaj had been recommended by the NRAI for inclusion in the 37-member coaching team following the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“He was appointed as a coach by the Sports Authority of India on the NRAI’s recommendation. This is a case of sexual harassment that allegedly occurred in Surajkund,” Bhatia stated.

According to the FIR lodged by the victim, the alleged incident took place last month during the National Championships at the Karni Singh Shooting Range.

The 17-year-old shooter, who had been training under Bhardwaj since August last year, said she was deeply traumatised by the incident and disclosed it to her mother on January 1 after being repeatedly questioned.

In her complaint, the minor stated that Bhardwaj would often call her for training sessions at places such as Mohali, Patiala, Dehradun, and Delhi, but she would always return home the same day.

However, on the day of the alleged assault, she said she travelled alone in a taxi to the Karni Singh Range to participate in the Nationals.

The girl alleged that after completing her event and preparing to return home, the coach asked her to stay back to review her performance, reported PTI.

She further claimed that Bhardwaj initially asked her to meet him in the lobby of a hotel in Surajkund, Faridabad. Upon reaching there, he allegedly pressured her to come up to his room, saying a detailed discussion was necessary.

“He asked me to come near the elevator. Then he told me he had booked a room and asked me to come there so he could discuss the match,” she stated.

She alleged that after taking her to a room on the third floor and discussing the competition, she said she wanted to leave, but the coach suggested he would ‘crack her back’, referring to a physiotherapy-related recovery technique.

“I immediately refused. He then forcibly made me lie face down and sexually assaulted me. When I resisted, he threatened me,” the girl alleged in her FIR.

She further stated that he warned her against revealing the incident, threatening to damage her sporting career. “I was extremely frightened and did not tell anyone initially,” she said, adding that she eventually confided in her mother after she noticed changes in her behaviour.

A senior police official confirmed that an investigation is currently underway.

Bhardwaj, a former pistol shooter, had earlier served a doping suspension in 2010 for using a beta-blocker during competition. Beta-blockers are prohibited substances in sports such as shooting, archery and billiards as they reduce heart rate, muscle tremors and anxiety.