Ludhiana: A gym owner has been booked for allegedly assaulting, sexually harassing and attempting to strangle a 27-year-old interior designer after she refused to continue their business association, police said.The woman also alleged that the accused snatched her gold earrings during the incident, which took place at a party at a gym in Sarabha Nagar on the intervening night of Nov 7 and 8.The accused, Shiva Sachdeva, a gym owner from Gurdev Nagar, has been booked by Division no. 5 police under Sections 74, 304(2), 115(2), 126(2) and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.According to the complainant, she came in contact with Sachdeva after joining his gym. The two later entered into a business association and began organising events and parties together. Over the past one-and-a-half years, they organised around six to eight events, she told police.The woman alleged that trouble began after she decided in Oct to work independently and discontinue the business association.According to her complaint, Sachdeva allegedly pressured her during the party to continue working with him. When she refused, he allegedly assaulted her and touched her inappropriately.She further alleged that the accused grabbed her by the throat and attempted to strangle her. She also accused him of forcibly taking her gold earrings.Police have registered an FIR on the basis of her complaint and initiated investigation.
