Goa head swimming coach sacked, booked for rape

Goa's chief swimming coach Surajit Ganguly was booked for raping and molesting a minor girl, a top swimmer, by the Goa Police on Thursday.

Ganguly, who was the top swimming coach appointed by the Swimming Association of Goa, was sacked from service earlier today, after a video of him allegedly molesting the minor girl in a room went viral on social media and caught the attention of Union Minister of Sports (Ind. Charge) Kiren Rijiju.

"The accused swimming coach has been booked under sections 461, 354, 376 and 506 (ii) of the Indian Penal Code, Section 8 of the Goa Children's Act and Sections 6 and 8 of POCSO Act," Lady Police Sub Inspector at the Mapusa police station Vibha Volvoikar told DH. The official also said that police were trying to establish the whereabouts of Ganguly. Goa Police are trying to ascertain whether the incident occurred in Goa or outside the state based on the video footage and have also established contacts with the Kolkata police, who are also investigating the matter. Both the accused and the victim hail from Kolkata.

The former chief minister and Swimming Federation of India president Digambar Kamat on Thursday confirmed the termination of services of Ganguly, who has been coaching the state swimming team for two years.

"We have terminated his service with immediate effect. The Federation has been asked to submit a report to me about the video," he told DH. Kamat also heads the Swimming Association of Goa, which appointed Ganguly as the chief coach.

Union Minister of State for Sports Kiren Rijiju, who was tagged in a tweet containing photo grabs of the video in question late on Wednesday, said that he has taken a "strong view" of the incident.

"I have taken a strong view of the incident. The Goa Swimming Association has terminated the contract of the coach Surajit Ganguly. I am asking the Swimming Federation of India to ensure that this coach is not employed anywhere in India. This applies to all Federations and disciplines," Rijiju tweeted.

Ganguly could not be contacted via phone despite repeated attempts.