Tokyo Olympics: Hockey Player Vandana Katariya's Family Face Casteist Slurs After Loss In Semis, 1 Held

Two men hurled abuses at Katariya's family after India's semi-final loss against Argentina

India's Vandana Katariya in action against Argentina in Tokyo Olympics hockey semi final match (Image: PTI)

Haridwar: Men or women, both the Indian Hockey teams have made the country proud by their terrific performance in the Tokyo Olympics. The nation is rejoicing after the victory of the men's hockey team winning bronze today and is anxiously waiting for the ladies to perform for bronze on Friday.

On one hand, the country is celebrating the historic victory and on the other hand, Indian hockey player Vandana Kataria's family in Haridwar is facing casteist slurs and abuses by neighbours as the Indian women hockey team couldn't qualify for the finals and lost the match against Argentina on August 4.

The police have registered a complaint against the neighbours and one person has been arrested in the case.

"We received a complaint from Women's hockey player Vandana Kataria's brother over casteist slurs by neighbours against family after Olympic loss. FIR lodged under Sec 504 of IPC & Sec 3 of SC/ST Act. One held. Probe is on", informed Senthil Abudai Krishnaraj S, SSP Haridwar.

The Indian women's team had reached the Olympics semifinal for the first time in the history of the marquee sporting event.

However, after the team's loss in the semi-final match, a two men gathered outside Katariya's home in Haridwar and began using casteist slur against the family. Following the incident, Katariya's brother went to the police and filed an official complaint. 

#CORRECTED: Police arrests man in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar district for allegedly mocking and passing casteist remarks against family of Vandana Katariya who was part of India's women hockey team which lost semifinal match at Tokyo Olympics

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 5, 2021

As reported by the Times of India,  the two men said that India lost the match because there were “too many Dalits players” on the team. 

Katariya's brother Shekhar alleged that the men insulted his family. “They went on saying that it’s not just hockey but every sport that should keep Dalits out,” he said in his complaint to the police.

“Then, they took some of their clothes off and started dancing again. It was a caste-based attack", as quoted by TOI.

Indian women's hockey team created history in Tokyo by becoming the first women's hockey team to reach the semi-final of an Olympic event where they lost against Argentina 2-1. Katariya became the first Indian women's hockey player to score a hat-trick. Katariya scored three of India's four goals against South Africa in the final pool A hockey game in Tokyo.

Indian women's hockey team will compete with Great Britain in the bronze medal match on Friday.