Taking a serious view of the Indian shooters' alleged harassment in ISSF World Cup in Dorset (UK), Sports Minister MS Gill on Sunday held a meeting with the Ministry officials, asking them to get the details of the incident.
"The Sports Minister, taking note of the media reports regarding the harassment of the Indian shooters in UK, held a meeting with Ministry officials this morning.
"The minister has directed officers to get in touch with officials of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) and the Indian High Commission in London to know the full details," a sports ministry official said.
According to the complaint lodged by Indian team manager T Padmanabhan, the transport department officials at the event misbehaved with the Indian shooters. Ace trap shooter and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Manavjit Singh Sandhu said a couple of transport officials were very rude with the Indian contingent.
According to Padmanabhan, Sandhu was also insulted by the transport supervisor.
The incident took place on Friday when the Indian shooters were boarding the bus that was to take them from venue to hotel.
The bus driver apparently slammed the door on some shooters and left them at the range. Some of the Indian shooters, who were on board, protested to the incident and were reportedly insulted by the transport supervisor.
Two days back, two Indian female shooters were forced to get down from the bus, Padmanabhan alleged.
Meanwhile, bowing to pressure, the organisers of the ISSF World Cup in Dorset (UK) apologised to the Indian shooters who were harassed by their transport staff.
The Local Organising Committee Chairman Peter Underhill and the person in charge for transport and Accommodation Stephen Minto tendered the apology to the Indian team manager M Padmanabhan during a meeting.
The meeting was also attended by Luciano Rossi, Vice President of the ISSF, Sheikh Salman Alsabah, President of the ASC, India's Forgin Coach Marcello Dradi and the Indian Shooting team.
"We had a long discussion about the incidents happened in the last few days and I expressed my displeasure about the same. Finally Mr Underhill and Mr Minto tendered apology for these incidents, and I accepted the apology," Padmanabhan wrote in his letter to NRAI Secretary Bhatia.
"Now for the betterment of the Shooting Sport and taking consideration the interest of Indian Shooters we have decided to drop this issue," he added. PTI
