Eighteen young wrestlers from Odisha were allegedly forced to spend their train journey sitting beside a toilet in a general compartment while travelling to Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, to take part in the National School Wrestling Championships. The incident has triggered widespread outrage after visuals and accounts surfaced on social media, showing the athletes enduring unhygienic and unsafe conditions throughout the trip.
Following the backlash, Odisha’s Minister for School and Mass Education, Nityananda Gond, assured action against those responsible. Speaking to India Today, Gond said an enquiry would be ordered to fix accountability. “We are launching an enquiry into the matter. We will find out where the lapse occurred and who is responsible,” the minister said.
The issue snowballed online, with many questioning the state government’s handling of the situation. The group, which included 10 boys and eight girls, reportedly travelled without reserved seats and was made to sit near the train toilets during peak winter, raising serious concerns about their safety, dignity and health.
Opposition parties were quick to criticise the government, accusing it of neglecting young sportspersons despite repeatedly projecting Odisha as a sports-friendly state. Political leaders and local residents pointed out that while the government speaks of promoting sports, basic arrangements for athletes remain missing.
Calling the incident a “national embarrassment”, Congress leader Navajyoti Patnaik wrote on X that the visuals of young wrestlers travelling in such conditions were deeply shameful. “These children were going to represent Odisha at a national championship. Yet there were no confirmed tickets, no basic facilities and no respect for their efforts,” he said, adding that hollow claims of sports promotion mean little without proper planning on the ground.
The controversy comes at a time when Odisha has announced ambitious plans to boost sports at the grassroots level. Earlier this year, the state launched a block-level sports development initiative aimed at nurturing local talent and positioning Odisha as a major sporting hub.
However, the latest episode has cast doubt on the implementation of these policies. Critics argue that if authorities cannot ensure something as basic as reserved train seats for student athletes, the state’s larger sporting ambitions remain questionable.
Biju Janata Dal (BJD) spokesperson Dr Lenin Mohanty also targeted the BJP over the incident, terming it a blow to “Odia asmita”. In a post on X, he said it was shameful that student athletes were made to travel in such conditions despite Odisha having hosted major international events like the Hockey World Cup and the World Athletics Championship.
“Ten boys and eight girls were sent to Uttar Pradesh in peak winter without confirmed seats. They were forced to sit near the train toilet throughout the journey,” Mohanty said.
Meanwhile, India Today contacted the state Sports Department for its response. Sources said the department distanced itself from the incident, stating that it had not been informed about the travel arrangements and was unaware that the wrestlers were travelling to Gorakhpur for the national-level competition