R V Hosamani, 59, committed suicide sometime between October 13 and 15 after he was placed under suspension by SAI following a sexual harassment complaint.

Based on a complaint filed by SAI after an internal investigation, the Jnanabharati Police Station in Bengaluru also registered a criminal complaint against Hosamani.

A train ticket, a letter to his wife and son, and an October 11 letter from the Sports Authority of India director general placing him under suspension in the light of charges of sexual harassment of a minor girl were found in the hotel room where kho kho and kabaddi coach R V Hosamani was found dead on Monday.

Hosamani, 59, committed suicide at a small lodge in Harihar town, some 350 km away from Bengaluru, sometime between October 13 and 15 after he was placed under suspension by SAI following a sexual harassment complaint on October 9 by a child he was coaching at the SAI Institute in Bengaluru.

Based on a complaint filed by SAI after an internal investigation, the Jnanabharati Police Station in Bengaluru also registered a criminal complaint against Hosamani on October 11 under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act, 2012.

When he was found dead at the MS Lodge in Harihar town of Karnataka’s Davangere district on Monday, the local police found that the kho kho and kabaddi coach – who has been with SAI since 1988 – had scribbled a note on the letter ordering his suspension and transferring him to Delhi. "Respected Madam, I don’t have any wrong or bad intentions in my life (sic). Sorry." it stated.

"All I can say is that a POCSO case was registered against the coach. In POCSO matters no details are revealed," a Jnanabharati police official said.

On the evening that Hosamani was accused of sexually assaulting the girl, the family of the girl arrived at SAI and her relatives are reported to have physically assaulted the coach. Local SAI authorities reportedly pacified the agitated family members and began an internal probe leading to the prima facie finding that the coach had harassed the girl.

According to the order issued to Hosamani by SAI director general Neelam Kapur in a letter dated October 11, disciplinary proceedings were being contemplated against the coach.

"Whereas a disciplinary proceeding against Sh R V Hosamani, KKK coach posted at NSSC Bangalore, is contemplated, now, therefore the undersigned in exercise of the powers conferred by sub rule 1 of rule 10 of the CCS (CCA) 1965 read with bye law 40 of SAI service bye laws 1992 hereby places the said Sh R V Hosamani KKK coach under suspension with immediate effect," states the October 11 order issued by the SAI DG.

"It is further ordered that during the period of suspension, the headquarter of Sh R V Hosamani KKK coach will be SAI head office New Delhi and the said coach shall not leave headquarters without obtaining the permission of the undersigned," states the suspension order.

According to R Chetan, the superintendent of police for Davangere district where Hosamani was found dead, the kho kho and kabaddi coach left home in Bengaluru telling his wife and son that he was going to Delhi to report to SAI authorities as directed in his suspension order. A train ticket which brought him from Bengaluru to Harihar was found with the body of the coach.

Police believe Hosamani committed suicide in his room shortly after arriving at the lodge. The body had begun decomposing when it was found suggesting he may have been dead for a couple of days before being discovered, a Harihar police office said. In a letter scribbled in Kannada to his wife and son, Hosamani sought forgiveness for hurting them. "Please forgive me. I have given you too much trouble. I am longing to see your faces but I do not have my mobile phone with me. My purse does not have a picture of the both of you. Son, look after your mother well. May you prosper in your work. God will do good to you. I want to thank all my relatives and friends. If I have hurt anyone, please forgive me. Please donate my body to a hospital," says the message written by the coach to his wife and son.

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