Coach assaulted during wrestling trials in Nalagarh

A wrestling coach, Johny Chowdhary, was assaulted by a group of people on Tuesday at a hotel in Nalagarh, where trials for the Under-17 category were being conducted by the All Himachal Wrestling Association.

The police registered an FIR under Sections 191(2), 191(3), 190, 121(1), and 132 of the BNS, along with Section 25 of the Arms Act, for rioting, being armed with a deadly weapon, unlawful assembly, voluntarily causing hurt and criminal assault.

In his complaint to the police, Chowdhary said that several coaches had arrived with children from different districts across the state. All children were weighed as per the schedule from 9 am to 10 am. In a bid to ensure transparency, three coaches had also been called from Punjab.

Trouble started when the association’s general secretary, Nardev Sharma, was approached by Govind from Hanuman Akhara in Bagbania village in Baddi, with a request that his child, who had been selected for the 71 kg category, also be permitted to appear for another trial in the 80 kg category. Sharma refused, citing rules. This led to an altercation. Johny, while supporting Sharma, said his stand was justified as per the rules. This angered Ajay and Govind, who left the spot while hurling abuses at him.

At around 3.15 pm, five arrived at the site and one of them attacked Johny from behind, hitting his head with a rod. He alleged that Govind and Ajay had called the miscreants to attack him.

Johny (38) is on deputation as a wrestling coach at the Sports Authority of India’s Hamirpur centre and is also an inspector with the Excise and Taxation Department. He was admitted to a hospital and was discharged today.