IAS couple who walked dog at Delhi's Thyagraj Stadium transferred out of Delhi

New Delhi: Hours after a news report regarding the misuse of facilities at Thyagraj Stadium by Sanjeev Khirwar and his wife Rinku Dugga, the Ministry of Home Affairs has transferred both the AGMUT cadre IAS officers Sanjeev Khirwar and Rinku Dugga to Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh from Delhi respectively.

In an order, the Home Ministry said Khirwar, a 1994-batch IAS officer from AGMUT cadre, is shifted to Ladakh and his wife to Arunachal Pradesh with immediate effect. According to official sources, the home ministry had sought a report from the Delhi Chief Secretary on the news report regarding the misuse of facilities at Thyagraj Stadium by Khirwar and his wife. The chief secretary submitted a report to the MHA on the factual position, prompting the ministry to order their transfer, they said. The sources said that necessary action will be initiated based on the report.

 

Hours after a news report regarding the misuse of facilities at Thyagraj Stadium by Sanjeev Khirwar & his wife Rinku Dugga, MHA has transferred both the AGMUT cadre IAS officers Sanjeev Khirwar & Rinku Dugga to Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh from Delhi respectively: MHA order pic.twitter.com/teMHyNPwhw — ANI (@ANI) May 26, 2022

 

Athletes and coaches at the Delhi government-run Thyagraj Stadium have been complaining about being forced to wrap their training early because Delhi’s Principal Secretary (Revenue) Sanjeev Khirwar takes his dog for a walk at the facility. According to a report in the Indian Express newspaper, the sportspersons have to leave the ground at least an hour early so that Khirwar can take a walk along with his dog on the ground.  “We used to train till 8-8.30 pm under lights earlier. But now, we are asked to leave the ground by 7 pm so that the officer can walk his dog on the ground. Our training and practice routine has been disrupted,” a coach told the Indian Express newspaper. When confronted, the officer denied any such allegation but accepted that he ‘sometimes’ takes his pet for a walk but never on a routine basis. 

Following this report, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had directed all state-run sports facilities in the city to stay open for sportspersons till 10 pm, his deputy Manish Sisodia said on Thursday (May 26). 

Built for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the centrally located sporting complex is a multi-discipline facility that attracts national and state athletes and footballers.