India’s nationwide report holder in pole vault Dev Kumar Meena and his coach Ghanshyam have been subjected to a humiliating expertise at Panvel Railway Station as they have been pressured to deboard a practice after being denied permission to hold their sports activities tools.
Initially requested to depart their tools behind by the Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE), they have been allowed entry solely after extended pleading and fee of a effective, the incident triggering outrage on social media.
The 20-year outdated Dev, who broke his personal nationwide report for the third time on the World College Video games in Germany in July 2025 with a soar of 5.40 metres, was getting back from the All India Inter-College Championship in Mangaluru together with fellow athlete Kuldeep – who set a meet report – and different teammates.
“We have been getting back from Mangaluru and needed to take a practice from Panvel to Bhopal. I went out to have some meals whereas a number of the gamers have been sitting close to the poles exterior the station when the ticket collector requested them to take away the tools,” coach Ghanshyam informed PTI Bhasha on Tuesday.
“I went and defined that these have been pole vault poles, confirmed him our participation proof and medals, however he mentioned the tools ought to have been despatched within the baggage compartment,” he mentioned.
VIDEO | Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh: Males’s pole vaulters Dev Meena and Kuldeep Yadav, together with their coach Ghanshyam, have been requested to deboard a practice at Panvel station by a Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE). They have been travelling again to their base after competing within the All India… pic.twitter.com/5kyPuv9K9L
— Press Belief of India (@PTI_News) January 20, 2026
In the meantime the Central Railway CPRO has mentioned that there has by no means been any intention by any railway personnel to harm the emotions of any participant.
“We respect gamers. We had requested them to ebook the pole in baggage part from Panvel as the scale have been bigger than the permissible restrict,” the official informed PTI.
“Opposite to the allegations made in social media posts, the very fact is that the practice was re scheduled for late working. There has by no means been any intention by any railway personnel to harm the emotions of any participant,” he added.
Story continues under this advert
Ghanshyam mentioned that pole vault poles are almost 5 metres lengthy and can’t match right into a baggage van with out the danger of harm.
“The poles are made from fiberglass and are extraordinarily costly – one pole prices almost Rs 2 lakh. With the best way baggage is dealt with, there’s a actual hazard of them breaking. We had six or seven poles with us,” he added.
The coach mentioned athletes normally journey in Third AC and punctiliously place the poles above the followers in sleeper or common compartments in order that they don’t inconvenience passengers.
“There’s additionally the danger of theft, so we have now to maintain checking on them. We even confirmed the ticket collector that the poles weren’t inflicting any drawback to anybody, however he insisted that we both pay Rs 8,000 or go away the poles on the station,” Ghanshyam mentioned.
Story continues under this advert
“I pleaded with him, asking the place I might get Rs 8,000 from, and even when we paid, how would the poles be transported?” he added.
In an try to resolve the problem, Ghanshyam contacted Olympian Ranjit Maheshwari, a railway sports activities officer in Mumbai, and his spouse V.S. Surekha, herself a former pole vaulter.
“Each of them informed the ticket collector to not harass the athletes, saying it will be an enormous embarrassment if the matter got here out on social media. We even confirmed a letter from the Madhya Pradesh authorities’s sports activities division stating that this was sports activities tools and permission needs to be granted for its transportation, but it surely was ignored,” he mentioned.
The athletes missed a practice because of the ordeal, and after almost 4 to 5 hours of repeated appeals, they have been lastly allowed to journey after being charged Rs 1,875 as a effective for transporting 80 kg of apparatus – paid from their very own pockets.
Story continues under this advert
Ghanshyam, who has accomplished a global Degree-1 teaching course and is pursuing a PhD in Bodily Schooling, termed the incident deeply disappointing.
Asian Underneath-20 bronze medallist Dev echoed his coach’s considerations and referred to as for a everlasting answer.
“I’m a global athlete, and if that is occurring to me in India, one can think about what junior athletes undergo. This isn’t new,” Dev mentioned.
“There needs to be clear pointers and a correct system for transporting athletic tools like poles and javelins, simply as there are preparations for athletes’ journey,” he added.
Story continues under this advert
“We’re not complaining in opposition to anybody. Our solely request is that an athlete’s tools reaches the competitors safely. Athletes and coaches face many challenges and such incidents solely disrupt focus and preparation,” Dev mentioned.