After boxer Dingku's shameful episode; Five girl athletes 'molested'
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 27 2014 : Even as a case is pending in Court in connection with the physical abuse case of some girl players by boxing coach Ngangom Dingku, five girl athletes staying at the Sports Training Centre, Takyelpat have been allegedly subjected to sexual harassment including moles-tation by their male coach.

Even as the victims reading in classes VI to X have filed a written complaint to the SAI NE RC Director and the authority of SAI-STC, no legal action has been initiated against accused Okram Chaoba (50) .

Moreover, when this reporter tried to contact the victims, SAI-STC in-charge denied access to the girls and went on to claim that the matter has been settled.

This aroused a strong suspicion if the authority is trying to hush up the matter.

Parents of the victims were not informed about the incident and many have started questioning as to why the women harassment committee which has their office inside the SAI campus is silent on the matter.

According to the written complaint filed by the five girls, athletics coach Okram Chaoba molested a girl inside a gymnasium at SAI-STC.

He allegedly embraced the girl and tried to kiss her before declaring his love for the girl.

The coach also allegedly asked two other girls to remove their shirts at the time of measuring their body weights.

This time too, the coach said that he loved them.

Chaoba further asked another girl how big was her chest and tried to embrace her.

At this, the girl flung aside Chaoba's hand and ran away.

One girl was forced to measure body weight with only the inner wears inside the gymnasium.

Chaoba allegedly asked the girl not to tell anyone about measuring body weight with all the outer apparels removed.

All these cases of sexual harassments were carried out when the girl athletes were alone inside the gymnasium.

The incident of molestation happened 13 days back while the other cases of sexual harassment took place earlier.

But the girls did not disclose what happened to them immediately.

But the victim of molestation had a quarrel with one fellow athlete one day and the girl made an abortive suicide attempt.

After this incident, the female athletes started asking amongst themselves what drove the girl to make a suicide attempt.

Eventually it came to light that five of them have been subjected to molestation and other forms of sexual harassment by Chaoba.

Subsequently, they filed a written complaint to the Director seeking initiation of befitting action against Chaoba.

As training schedules of all the athletes are different, daily routines of checking body weight, physical exercise and racing are done separately for each girl inside the indoor gymnasium as per the schedule.

It is said that the key of the gymnasium was held by Chaoba.

SAI-STC in-charge K Michael while talking with The Sangai Express over telephone on July 26 admitted that they realized coach Chaoba has done something to the girls from their complaint.

A departmental enquiry has been done and Okram Chaoba has been transferred.

Along with the transfer of Chaoba, the matter was settled with the girls.

All the five girls are presently undergoing rigorous training and their mental state is fine, Michael said.

But when this reporter insisted on interacting with the victims, Michael maintained that talking about their bitter experience may open their old wounds and they are not allowed to meet anyone at the moment.

Lamphel Police have certain about indecent behaviour of Okram Chaoba which the girl athletes found repelling and his transfer was being sought.

But there was no complaint of molestation or sexual harassment against Chaoba.

As such, police could not register any FIR.

Michael's assertion that all the five victims were staying at the Sports Training Centre was wrong.

It turned out that the girl who had been molested went home on July 18 .

She was taken home by her mother as her (the girl) insistence.

While interacting with some media persons at her home, the girl narrated everything that happened to her.

She also demanded termination of coach O Chaoba.

It is said that the girl won first position in 600m, 800m, 100m and 200m races of many athletics competitions held within the State.

While expressing her keen desire to pursue her sporting career, the girl made no secret of her extreme hatred and disdain of coach Chaoba.

She said that she did not like to meet O Chaoba ever again.

The girl's mother appealed to the authority concerned to punish O Chaoba according to law.

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