Kolhapur: Former national hockey player Vijay Vitthal Manugade, working as a sports teacher in a private high school, was arrested for allegedly assaulting four girl students, police said today.
Rajarampuri police said that the 35-year-old accused used to call girls for teaching sport activities and molest them. He had allegedly raped one of the girls in a room and at his residence three to four times, threatening her not to disclose anyone. He had also taken pictures of the incident.
The incident came in light last evening when guardians and family members of the victims informed this crime to Vishwas Nangare-Patil, Special Inspector General (IG) of Kolhapur. He immediately arrested Vijay late last night and registered cases under IPC section 376(2),(F)(I), 354(A),506 and under child sexual oppression preventive law 2012 section 3(A),4,5(F),(L) and 6,8,12.
Parents also alleged that they had raised this issue earlier also, but police had not taken this matter seriously. Meanwhile, District Hockey Association secretary Sudam Torskar in a statement has protested the incident and sought the suspension of Vijay from the district hockey organisation with immediately effect. (UNI)