National shooting coach Ankush Bhardwaj suspended following assault allegations.

The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has suspended national shooting coach Ankush Bhardwaj after a 17-year-old athlete accused him of sexual assault. The incident reportedly occurred on December 16, 2025, at a hotel in Surajkund, Faridabad, following a national competition held at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi.

According to the police complaint, the coach invited the minor to the hotel lobby to review her performance, but later pressured her to come to his private room, where the alleged assault took place. The victim's family also claimed that Bhardwaj threatened to ruin the athlete's career and harm her family if she disclosed the incident.

The Haryana Police registered a First Information Report (FIR) on January 6, 2026, at the Women’s Police Station in Faridabad. The charges include Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and Section 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

In response, the NRAI suspended Bhardwaj from all coaching duties and issued a show-cause notice, stating that he must prove his innocence through the legal process.

Police are currently reviewing the CCTV footage and recording witness statements to corroborate the allegations.