Kazakhstan coach booked under POCSO after 16-year-old cyclist alleges rape in Punjab's Patiala

A coach from Kazakhstan has been booked for allegedly raping a 16-year-old national-level cyclist at the National Institute of Sports (NIS) in Punjab’s Patiala district, police said on Tuesday.

According to the complaint filed by the girl, the incident took place on September 13 at the residential quarter allotted to the foreign national coach near the girls’ hostel on the NIS campus.

FIR registered under BNS, POCSO Act

The victim approached cops on September 18, following which an FIR was registered at Civil Lines police station under Sections 64(2) and 351(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, police said.

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Coach leaves NIS, evades police in Delhi

The accused coach had left the NIS premises by the time the police were informed. During the investigation, police found that he was staying at another camp in Delhi.

A police team from Patiala subsequently reached a camp in Delhi to apprehend him, but the accused had left before the team arrived, police said.

Passport seized, lookout circular issued

Patiala SP Mohit Agarwal said that special teams have been formed to nab the accused.

“Teams are conducting raids based on information about his possible whereabouts. A team had also gone to Delhi, but he was not found. His passport has been seized and a lookout circular has been issued. We are making all efforts to arrest him soon,” Agarwal said.

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The medical examination of the minor has been conducted, he added.

The accused had arrived in Patiala a few months ago and was staying in the NIS staff quarters, according to the police.

Police said further facts would emerge as the investigation progresses.