Coach who accused Sandeep of harassment alleges life threat

PANCHKULA: The woman junior coach, who accused Haryana minister Sandeep Singh of sexual misconduct, has alleged a threat to her life, stating that an SUV had tried to run her over in Sector 5, Panchkula, on Tuesday night.

The woman told the police that around 9.18pm on April 25, she had gone to refuel her Activa in Sector-5. As soon as she got on to the slip road, a black SUV that was already waiting for her there, tried to hit her, however she escaped unhurt.

“The SUV had been waiting there for sometime. As soon as I reached there, the vehicle tried to run me over. I was saved as I stepped aside in the nick of time. Had I not acted promptly, I would have died,” she said while talking to HT.

The woman said that she dialled 112 but to no avail. The SUV driver managed to escape even though some people tried to stop him. She said she later informed her security officer sub-inspector Neha.

“There is a clear threat to my life. This is not for the first time that such an incident has taken place. Earlier too, attempts were made on my life,” said the coach in her police complaint.

“Just two hours before the attack, I had got a threat message on social media,” said the woman coach talking to HT.

She added, “However, I won’t give up on my fight for justice.”

Ajit Singh, SHO, Sector 5 police station, said, “I had received a complaint through WhatsApp about the incident.

We have registered the case and are scanning closed-circuit television camera footage to get clues on who was behind the wheel.”

A case under Sections 279 (rash driving) and 336 (act endangering personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered at the Sector-5 police station.

The junior coach, who took part in the Rio Olympics, was recruited under the government’s outstanding sportspersons scheme in September. She had accused the Haryana minister of sexually harassing her.

Chandigarh police had, on the night of December 31, registered a case under Sections 354 (outraging a woman’s modesty), 354A (making sexually coloured remarks), 354B (criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code against minister Sandeep at the Sector 26 police station, Chandigarh. Later, Section 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code was also added to the FIR. After registration of the case, Sandeep Singh was divested of his sports portfolio on January 7.

The SIT, constituted by Chandigarh police to investigate the matter, has now moved an application before the court to conduct the brain mapping of Sandeep Singh, who holds the charge of the printing and stationery department. This application is still under consideration and Sandeep’s counsel has sought time to reply to the same.