Police have arrested a football coach in Maharashtra after a 17-year-old girl accused him of repeatedly raping her over three years under the pretext of mentoring her for a career in the sport.

The accused, Abhijit Mandal, a 36-year-old resident of Vasai, runs a private football training centre in the area. According to police, the victim approached him for training in 2023. Mandal allegedly won her trust before repeatedly sexually assaulting her over the following three years.

He is also accused of recording videos and photographs of the assaults and later using them to threaten the victim when she began to distance herself from him.

Unable to bear the ordeal any longer, the victim approached police with her family and filed a formal complaint, leading to Mandal’s arrest.

He has been booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on charges including rape, sexual assault and criminal intimidation. Further investigation is underway.

– Ends

(With inputs from Praveen Nalavade)

Published By:

Aprameya Rao

Published On:

Jun 13, 2026 17:26 IST