The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has suspended Ankush Bhardwaj from all responsibilities with immediate effect.
Days after an FIR was registered against shooting coach Ankush Bhardwaj for allegedly sexually assaulting a 17-year-old national-level woman shooter from Haryana, the accused continues to evade arrest. Police have formed multiple teams to track him down.
According to police officials, Bhardwaj has been absconding since the case was registered earlier this week. Teams from the crime branch and the women police station are conducting raids at several locations. A separate police team has also been deployed in Mohali, Punjab, where the accused is believed to have connections.
“Three police teams are actively working on the case. The accused is on the run, but raids are underway and he will be arrested soon,” Faridabad police spokesperson Yashpal Yadav said.
Meanwhile, the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has suspended Ankush Bhardwaj from all responsibilities with immediate effect. The sports body said the action was taken as soon as the allegations surfaced. NRAI secretary Rajiv Bhatia confirmed that Bhardwaj has been removed as coach of the national junior shooting team and that the matter has been referred to the association’s internal complaints committee.
As per the FIR registered on January 6 at the Women Police Station in NIT Faridabad, the alleged incident took place on December 16 after a national-level shooting competition at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Academy in New Delhi.
The complaint alleges that Bhardwaj called the minor athlete to a hotel in Surajkund, Faridabad, on the pretext of reviewing her performance. The victim’s family claimed she was later coerced into his room, where she was sexually harassed despite resisting. The FIR further states that the accused allegedly threatened to ruin her sports career and harm her family if she reported the incident.
The Haryana State Women Commission has also taken note of the case and sought a detailed report from the Faridabad Police Commissioner. Commission chairperson Renu Bhatia urged sensitive handling of the matter and called for a dedicated officer to oversee the investigation and provide regular updates.
An FIR has been registered against Ankush Bhardwaj, a resident of Mohali, under Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and Section 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which deals with criminal intimidation.
