Dronacharya Awardee Gymnastics Coach Booked Under POCSO in Vile Parle

A 48-year-old gymnastics coach honoured with the Dronacharya Award has been booked by the Vile Parle Police in Mumbai for allegedly sexually harassing a 16-year-old student at a gymnasium.

The police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the coach under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The complainant, a college student, had been receiving gymnastics training under the accused for several years.

According to the complaint, the incident occurred on a Friday morning while the girl was studying at home. She received a WhatsApp message from the coach saying "Hi". After informing her mother, the student asked the coach why he had reached out. The coach then inquired about her availability and asked her to meet him at the gymnasium. Assuming the meeting was related to her gymnastics training, she went to the facility.

Upon her arrival, the coach was alone at the gymnasium. According to the complaint, he asked her to bring her footwear inside and lock the door from the inside before starting a conversation regarding her college and studies.

The complainant alleged that during their conversation, the coach grabbed her left hand and pulled her onto his lap. When she attempted to stand up, he reportedly held her around the waist from behind and harassed her.

The teenager immediately left the gymnasium and headed to her college. Observing that she was visibly distressed, her friends inquired about the matter. She then narrated the sequence of events to a teacher, who alerted her family. The family subsequently approached the Vile Parle Police to lodge a formal complaint.

Investigators are currently examining closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage from the gymnasium and surrounding areas, alongside the WhatsApp exchanges between the coach and the student. The accused coach is being questioned, and police stated that further legal action will depend on the findings of the ongoing probe.