Patiala, Mar 5: India's middle and long distance coach Nikolai Snesarev of Belarus was on Friday found dead in his hostel room at the National Institute of Sports here, the Athletics Federation of India said.

The dead body of the 72-year-old Snesarev, who returned to India after a gap of two years to be at the helm till the end of September, has been sent to a government hospital for post mortem.

"He had come to NIS for the Indian Grand Prix 3 (from his Bengaluru base) held today. But when he did not turn up for the meet, the coaches checked for him in the evening and his room was found locked from inside," AFI President Adille Sumariwalla told PTI.

"When the door was broken, he was found lying on his bed. The Sports Authority of India doctor at the NIS declared him dead and the ED (team) of the SAI has referred the body to the government hospital for post mortem.

"We don't know the cause of death. We will know it later after post mortem."

Snesarev was coaching 3000m steeplechaser Avinash Sable, who has qualified for the Olympics, and other middle and long-distance runners in their bid to qualify for the Tokyo Games.

He had quit as Indian athletics' long and middle distance coach in February 2019 after Sable opted to leave him and train under Army coach Amrish Kumar.

His contract then was till the end of the Olympics, postponed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Mandya: Police on Tuesday arrested three private doctors in connection with a case involving alleged illegal scanning of 31 minor pregnant girls at a private diagnostic centre in KR Pet. The accused were later remanded to judicial custody.

The arrested doctors have been identified as Dr. Divyachetan of Chetana Maternity Centre, Dr. Harshit of Navi Diagnostic Centre, and Dr. Harish of Kushal Diagnostic Centre.

Police said Priyanka, a gynaecologist attached to a government hospital, is absconding and efforts are under way to trace her.

The case came to light after Karnataka Lokayukta Police recently conducted raids, during which illegal sex determination tests on minor pregnant girls were allegedly detected at two diagnostic centres in KR Pet town.

Following the raids, District Health and Family Welfare Officer Dr. Mohan, Deputy Director of the Women and Child Development Department P.S. Asha, and District Child Protection Officer Rashmi inspected several diagnostic centres and filed cases at KR Pet Town and Rural police stations.

According to the allegations, Navi Diagnostic Centre conducted scans on 24 minor pregnant girls, including 19 cases in 2024 and five in 2025. Kushal Diagnostic Centre is accused of conducting scans on seven minor pregnant girls.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Dr. Kumar has directed taluk vigilance committees to inspect all 63 ultrasound scanning centres in the district and submit reports within 10 days.

Officials said the Tahsildar of each taluk has been appointed chairperson of the respective committee.