Ahmedabad: A 25-year-old badminton coach from Naranpura has been arrested for allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl at a sports facility on Science City Road.Police said the girl had joined training sessions during her vacation in March. The coach often picked her up and dropped her off at home. During this period, he allegedly began harassing her and also sent obscene messages via Instagram.On June 6, the accused allegedly took the girl near the washroom of the facility and raped her. He allegedly warned her not to reveal the incident. The matter came to light when the victim’s mother noticed inappropriate chats on her phone. After being questioned, the girl informed her parents about her ordeal.A complaint was lodged at Sola police station. Police inspector K N Bhukan said the accused has been booked under charges of rape and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act. His mobile phone has been seized.Police are checking if other minors were subjected to harassment. The accused has been remanded to judicial custody.The accused was also endorsing brands of various sports companies and had been coaching at various premium clubs in the city for around four years, a police officer said.
