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Indian hockey player Varun Kumar has been booked in Bengaluru for raping a woman multiple times on the pretext of marriage. The star defender of the Indian hockey squad and the Punjab Warriors was accused of raping a 22-year-old woman when she was 17 years of age. Bengaluru Police have filed a complaint about Kumar, and according to this, the woman met Kumar through Instagram when he was training at the Sports Authority of India (SAI).
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As per the complainant, the 28-year-old player raped her multiple times in the last five years on the pretext of marriage. The hockey player was honoured with the Arjuna Award in 2021 and was recently promoted to the rank of DSP by the Punjab Police. Kumar made his debut with the Indian time in 2017 and won the 2022 Birmingham-Commonwealth Games silver medal. Not only this, but Kumar was also a part of the Indian squad that won gold in the 2022 Asian Games and bronze in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Hockey player booked under POCSO Act: Bengaluru Police
Bengaluru Police released an official statement and according to Sportsstar, the statement read, “Based on the complaint received from the woman, we have registered a case on Monday against the Hockey player under the appropriate section of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and sections 376 (rape) and 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) of the Indian Penal Code.”
According to the PTI, the player is currently training with the national team in Bhubaneswar for the upcoming FIH Pro League. The source was quoted as saying, “He is not absconding. He is in Bhubaneswar with the team.” In the upcoming tournament, India will open their campaign on February 10.
