Indian shooters harassed at WC in UK

New Delhi, May 16: In the wake of harassment faced by Indian shooters at the hands of the organisers of International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup in Dorset, United Kingdom, the team manager M Padmanabhan has written a letter to High Commission in London.

In his letter, Padmanabhan drew the attention of the Indian High Commissioner's attention to the alleged harrasment meted out to the Indian shooters.

He said that ace shooter and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Manavjit Singh Sandhu was asked by the transport supervisor Mike to get off the bus and he ill treated the rest of the staff when they objected to the treatment given to Singh.

"Our Indian shooters were in the process of boarding the bus from the ranges to the official hotel when the driver slammed the door shut on the Indian shooter waiting outside and left him at the range. When the other shooters on the bus strongly objected, the driver turned back and went to the supervisor of the transport dept, Mr Mike."

"Mr Mike then returned to the bus and yelled and screamed at our shooters and insulted them. He was very very rude and threatened the team with dire circumstances. He then addressed our Indian World Champion and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Mr Manavjit Singh and told him to get off the bus. He refused saying that the bus was the official transport and not his personal vehicle. Mike then threatened him by saying that the Indian Team will not be allowed to take the bus tomorrow morning," Padmanabhan wrote in his letter to the High Commission.

"Two days earlier the same transport department had forced our two women shooters, Ms Shreyasi and Ms Shagun to get off the bus. They were humiliated thus in front of all other competing nations," the letter, released by NRAI, said.

The team manager requested the High Commission to raise the issue so that the Indian shooting contingent do not have to encounter further embarassment.

"We are feeling very harassed and cannot believe that we are being treated this way. We request that you may take this matter up with the Organising Committee of the ISSF World Cup, Dorset. We are feeling very insecure, insulted and threatened in the current atmosphere and the shooters will be unable to give their best at their events," Padmanabhan concluded.

OneIndia News