Hockey Player Found Dead in Agra Hotel, Family Alleges Harassment by Accused in Rape Case

*Agra, October 1, 2024* – A 22-year-old state-level hockey player was found dead in a hotel room in Agra on Monday, six months after she had lodged a rape complaint at Sadar police station against Gagan Kumar, a local travel agent. The young woman was discovered hanging from a rope, leading authorities to launch an investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death.According to the victim’s family, Kumar had been harassing the hockey player and her family for several years. The player’s mother claimed that her daughter was under immense mental stress due to constant threats and pressure from Kumar and his relatives, who were allegedly pushing the family to settle the rape case. The distressing series of events began four years ago when the woman initially lodged a complaint of sexual abuse against Kumar, resulting in his arrest. However, he was granted bail. Earlier this year, in April, the woman alleged that Kumar had raped her again, leading to a fresh case being filed. Kumar was arrested and sent to prison but was released on bail three months later. Since then, the family claimed, the accused continued to intimidate the survivor.Police have confirmed that Kumar was arrested on charges of abetment to suicide and making threats. Investigators recovered critical WhatsApp conversations from the hockey player’s mobile phone. In one conversation with another player, the woman reportedly wrote: “Where are you? I’m scared. Please come see me on any pretext. Even if it’s just for tea, please come.”On Tuesday, police revealed that CCTV footage from the hotel showed Kumar visiting the player’s room the night before her death. Hotel staff confirmed that the woman had checked in on Sunday, and Kumar was seen arriving later that evening. He stayed for about an hour before leaving. When the hotel room remained locked on Monday afternoon, staff entered and discovered the player’s body.The player’s mother expressed her anguish, stating, “Gagan had been harassing us for five years. His relatives were also threatening my daughter and us to settle the rape case. My daughter was going through a lot of mental stress and was traumatized.”SHO Jasveer Singh of Tajganj police station stated, “An FIR has been registered based on the family’s complaint. The accused has been arrested and sent to jail as per court orders. The post-mortem report is awaited, and we are investigating the matter in detail.”