Seniors forced me to massage their bodies: Olympic Dutee Chand on being ragged in sports hostel

Bengaluru, July 4: Ragging has been the bane of the lives of youngsters and it has raised its ugly head in the sporting field once again with a top athlete opening about being ragged during her stay at the sports hostel.

As another student allegedly died by suicide due to ragging, a top athlete opened up about being ragged by seniors during her early days. Olympian Dutee Chand made a startling revelation of being a victim of ragging during her stay at the Sports Hostel in Bhubaneswar.

A BJB Autonomous College student allegedly ended her life due to ragging. Reacting to the death of another student due to ragging, Odisha-born Chand took to social media to open up about her early days at the Sports Hostel.

"Didis (seniors) used to force me to massage their bodies and wash their clothes at the Sports Hostel," Chand said, as reported in PTI.

Chand, who stayed at the hostel from 2006-08, said even though she complained to the authorities, no one paid any attention and it took a mental toll on the athlete. "When I used to complain to the hostel in-charge, I used to be scolded. It used to take a mental toll on me. I was helpless at that time," the Olympian added.

Chand opened up about her experience after the allegations of the student taking her life due to ragging came to light. Students and parents of the BJB Autonomous College on Saturday staged a demonstration outside the prestigious educational institution in the state capital, protesting the incident. The 19-year-old student was found hanging inside her room in the ladies' hostel, and police found a suicide note at the spot in which the woman said she was mentally harassed by three seniors of the college.

Meanwhile, following Chand's allegations, the authorities of the Sports Hostel in Bhubaneswar, are yet to react to the charges levelled by athlete.

(Inputs from PTI)