IMPHAL, Jan 18 � Several social organisations including Manipur Amateur Boxing Association (MABA) have strongly condemned the unwanted act committed by the Asian Games gold medalist boxer-turned-coach Padmashree Ngangom Dingku.
MABA official Khoibi Salam told media persons here today that MABA is not associated with the SAI coach Dingku. He also said the law will take it own course. The MABA will not object if the authorities decide to relieve the titles given to Dingku, he added.
On Friday, Dingku � popularly known in the sporting world as Dingko Singh � has been sent to judicial custody on charges of physically assaulting a female weightlifter in Manipur.
The ace boxer, who had scripted history by winning a gold medal in the 13th Asian Games in Bangkok in 1998, was arrested on Thursday night. He was produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate Imphal West RK Memi�s Court around 3.30 pm on Friday and remanded in judicial custody for 15 days.
The thirty four year old Dingku was booked on charges of physically assaulting and outraging the modesty of a woman under 324/354 IPC. On January 13, the Arjuna awardee boxer, who returned here as a coach of Sports Authority of India (SAI) in December last year, assaulted a 17 year-old SAI weightlifter Soibam Aranbala on the charge of scribbling �I love you� before the word �Oja Dingku� (meaning teacher Dingku) on his dust-covered car at Khuman Lampak sports complex here. Two of her colleagues � Chungkha Pamei and P Yaiphabi were also assaulted. However, the victim girl has clarified that she had only written �Oja Dingku�.
The condition of Aranbala, a resident of Moreh, currently undergoing treatment at Shija hospital in Imphal, is said to be serious but stable.
Condemning the incident, Secretary of Manipur Weightlifting Association Sunil Elangbam said that he will lodge a formal complaints to the concerned authorities including the Director General of SAI and others after consulting legal experts for necessary action.
Olympian weightlifter Sonia Chanu said the assault on girl players after entering the girls� hostel is very unfortunate.
Some social organisations in the State has urged the State to change the name of the Dingku Road which was named after the ace boxer in recognition of his achievement in the Bangkok Asian Games. Women organisations at Moreh staged a protest rally last night.
