Nagpur: In a disturbing incident that raises serious concerns over the safety of women athletes, a member of the women’s karate team of Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU) was allegedly harassed by miscreants inside a train while travelling to Odisha to participate in a tournament.
The shocking episode reportedly occurred during the team’s onward journey to Balasore, exposing glaring lapses in passenger security on long-distance trains and leaving the young athlete deeply shaken.
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Mar 16 2026 - Time 11.45Hrs
According to reports, the RTMNU women’s karate team, comprising around 10-12 students, along with one female coach and one male coach, departed from Nagpur on Saturday at around 11 am aboard the Puri-Ahmedabad Express for Bhubaneswar. The team was travelling to participate in an inter-university tournament in Odisha.
After reaching Bhubaneswar on Sunday morning, the team boarded the Falaknuma Express at around 12.30 pm to continue their journey to Balasore. However, the journey soon turned traumatic for one of the athletes.
According to the complaint, the students were seated on separate berths in the S-2 coach, while the coaches were seated elsewhere in the same coach. During the journey, a group of suspicious youths allegedly boarded the coach, creating an uncomfortable atmosphere for the players.
When the train had crossed Jajpur station, one of the students went towards the washroom. At that moment, a youth allegedly approached her from behind and touched her back, leaving the young athlete stunned and frightened.
As she hurried back towards her teammates in distress, another youth allegedly smirked and touched her waist, an act that clearly amounted to harassment and intimidation.
The visibly shaken student immediately returned to her seat and informed her teammates and the coaches about the incident.
Following the incident, the team lodged a complaint with the Government Railway Police at Bhadrak. Assistant Sub-Inspector Behera registered a case under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and the investigation has been assigned to Assistant Sub-Inspector Hemlata.
Sources said the student also informed her parents about the incident and shared a video related to the episode, intensifying concern among family members.
The episode has triggered serious questions about the safety of women athletes travelling to represent universities in national events. Critics say that young sportspersons, who travel long distances to bring laurels to their institutions, are often left vulnerable due to lack of adequate security arrangements during transit.
Observers have also pointed out that splitting the team across different berths in a crowded coach may have contributed to the vulnerability, allowing miscreants to take advantage of the situation.
The incident has sparked outrage among students and sports circles, with many demanding stricter monitoring inside train coaches, swift identification of the accused, and stronger safeguards for women athletes travelling for competitions.
As the investigation progresses, the focus now remains on tracing the accused youths and ensuring that such shameful incidents do not tarnish the spirit of sports and the dignity of women players.
