Naresh Dahiya, 46 (Express Photo)
Three men, including a former national-level wrestling coach, have been arrested for allegedly raping a 16-year-old athlete in northwest Delhi’s Rohini, police said Wednesday. The accused, identified as 46-year-old Naresh Dahiya, a resident of Karala village, has coached Ramesh Gulia, who won bronze at the 2009 Wrestling World Championship in Denmark. The girl, a national-level kabaddi player, approached police Monday and alleged that she was raped on July 9. A case was registered at Model Town police station and subsequently Dahiya, who used to coach wrestlers at Chhatrasal Stadium and at his akhada in Shahbad Dairy, was arrested late Tuesday night, police said.
“Dahiya was arrested after police traced him with the help of technical surveillance. During interrogation, he admitted to the crime,” a police source said. However, on further investigation, it was found that two more men were involved in the crime. Police said further investigation revealed that the girl was allegedly taken to a flat in Rohini by Dahiya and raped. The two others — Satpal and Pratap — were arrested on Wednesday. Police said they will be adding charges of gangrape in the FIR.
In her complaint, the 16-year-old told police that a few weeks ago, she was approached by a man, aged between 35 and 40, who posed as a senior official of Chhatrasal Stadium administration. “She claimed that the incident took place on July 9 when the accused picked her up from outside Chhatrasal Stadium in his car and took her to a flat in Rohini on the pretext of introducing her to his friends,” a police officer said.
Dahiya is a former national-level medalist and one of his trainees is a member of the Indian junior national team, scheduled to participate in the World Junior Championship in Finland in August, police said. The girl alleged that she became unconscious after consuming a drink he offered her. Later, she realised that she had been sexually assaulted, police said. “A medical examination of the girl confirmed rape,” the officer said.
