Manu Bhaker demands action against Air India employees for alleged harassment
New Delhi: Tokyo Olympics medal prospect Manu Bhaker has demanded action against two Air India employees for allegedly "harassing" and "insulting" the pistol shooter while she tried to board a flight to Bhopal from Delhi.
The 19-year-old Commonwealth Games and Youth Olympics gold medallist pistol shooter eventually managed to board the aircraft on Friday evening after the intervention of Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju.
Manu, one of the country's brightest medal hopes at the upcoming Games, thanked Rijiju for his prompt intervention but is also hoping for action against the Air India officials at Delhi airport. Later, Air India, too, apologised for the conduct of of its staff.
"They can be be held accountable for the harassment and insult I endured as trying to save their officials (Manoj Gupta and another security person of the airline) will only further damage Air India's reputation," Manu told PTI from Bhopal.
The champion pistol shooter added, "Air India is now claiming that they were just asking for documents and doing their job but I am sure everything was captured by the CCTV cameras. You can check...
"They snatched my mobile and deleted the picture which my mother clicked as the harassment went on."
Having addressed the issue, Rijiju called Manu "India's pride."
Air India also tendered an apology.
"Ma'am we are really sorry that you have faced inconvenience while travelling with us. We request you to kindly share details of the issue along with your contact details over DM for us to assist you," Air India tweeted.
Manu said she had to go through the "ordeal" despite carrying all valid documents and clearance from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for travelling with her weapons and ammunition.
"But then they refused to recognise even DGCA and when I told them that I travel frequently with my ammunition and that I am a shooter who is going to represent India in Olympics, they said 'whether you play in nationals or Olympics it doesn't matter to us'.
"Their conduct was unacceptable, I mean at least give some respect to athletes and don't insult them every now and then. The main problem was not money but his behaviour. The ministry takes care of all our expenses," she said.
In another post, the air carrier wrote, "Dear Ms Bhaker Our Delhi Airport team has confirmed that the official at our counter had only sought for valid documents as per rules for carriage of your weapon on board."
On Friday, ISSF World Cup gold medallist Manu had lashed out at the AI officials and sought help from the authorities in a series of tweets.
"Not allowing me to board flight AI 437 at IGI Delhi and asking now 10200rs Despite all valid Documentation and DGCA permit . Top of that Manoj Gupta Air india incharge and other staff is humiliating me despite I have 2 guns and ammunition," she wrote tagging Rijiju and Aviation Minister Hardeep Puri.
"Think this type behaviour is not acceptable .Manoj Gupta is not even human. He is treating me like I am a criminal. Also his security incharge Such people need basic training of behaviour hopefully Aviation ministry will find out & will send him to right place."
"Not allowing me to board flight AI 437 at IGI Delhi and asking now 10200rs Despite all valid Documentation and DGCA permit . Top of that Manoj Gupta Air india incharge doesn't recognise DGCA. shall I pay this Bribes or," she had tweeted.
Not allowing me to board flight AI 437 at IGI Delhi and asking now 10200rs Despite all valid Documentation and DGCA permit . Top of that Manoj Gupta Air india incharge and other staff is humiliating me despite I have 2 guns and ammunition@KirenRijiju @HardeepSPuri waiting sir? pic.twitter.com/UJ3G8jgVa9
— Manu Bhaker (@realmanubhaker) February 19, 2021
Think this type behaviour is not acceptable .Manoj Gupta is not even human. He is treating me like I am a criminal. Also his security incharge Such people need basic training of behaviour hopefully Aviation ministry will find out &will send him to right place @HardeepSPuri pic.twitter.com/UlzLy3v974
— Manu Bhaker (@realmanubhaker) February 19, 2021
Thank you every one and all who help me.Especially Who made my boarding possible. Few also think May be one sided and I got undue advantage. Sport ministry bears all my expense spent by me in any form Very clear if I had to pay for any wrong or right reason it’s Govt money.? pic.twitter.com/ztU7KH1BwX
— Manu Bhaker (@realmanubhaker) February 20, 2021
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Two injuries, one DNF, a DQ as India end messy World Relays campaign
Gaborone (Botswana) (PTI): Amoj Jacob and Ragul Kumar got injured during the men's 4x400m and 4x100 races respectively as India ended their World Athletics Relays campaign in disappointment on the second day of competitions here on Sunday.
The Indian camp had high hopes of making the 2027 World Championships in the men's 4x400m relay but the team did not finish (DNF) the race as Jacob suffered cramps and pulled out of the race after taking the baton from the first leg runner Dharamveer Choudhary. Rajesh Ramesh and Vishal TK were to run in the third and fourth legs.
Those teams which could not qualify for the 2027 Beijing World Championships by reaching the final round of each of the six relay events on Saturday were given another chance in the second qualification round on Sunday.
The top two teams in each of the two heats (in all six relay events) booked the Beijing ticket on Sunday.
India will now have to try and qualify for the World Championships through the Top Lists of the World Athletics, which is a long and tedious process.
In the men's 4x100m race, third leg runner Ragul Kumar fell down the track after failing to hand over the baton inside the exchange zone to fourth leg runner Gurindervir Singh, which clearly showed the lack of coordination among the runners.
Harsh Santosh Raut and Animesh Kujur ran the first two legs.
The Indian quartet was disqualified and Kumar was seen being taken away from the Field of Play with the help of the volunteers.
It was a comedy of errors in the case of the women's 4x100m race, which saw the baton being dropped during an exchange between first leg runner Tamanna and second runner Nithya Gandhe, though the Indians finished the race in 53.09 seconds.
Gandhe started running quite a distance, but after realising that the baton was not in her hand, she turned and ran back to pick it up.
The only silver-lining for the Indian contingent was the national record time in the mixed 4x100m relay race, though the quartet of Ragul Kumar, Nithya Gandhe, Animesh Kujur and Sneha SS finished sixth in heat number two with a time of 41.35 seconds, bettering the previous national mark of 42.30 seconds set in March in Chandigarh.
The mixed 4x400m relay quartet of Theerthesh P Shetty, Kumari Saloni, Nihal William and Rashdeep Kaur ended at fifth in heat number one with a time of 3 minutes and 19.40 seconds.
On Saturday, all the five Indian relay teams had failed to make it to the respective final rounds and thus missed out on the 2027 World Championships berths.
