Odisha School Wrestlers Forced to Travel on Train Floor Without Confirmed Tickets

Eighteen promising young wrestlers from Odisha, carefully selected to proudly represent their state at the prestigious 69th National School Wrestling Championship organised in Uttar Pradesh, were subjected to an utterly distressing and prolonged train journey in grossly inadequate and dehumanising conditions, primarily because confirmed railway tickets were secured for only a fraction of the contingent despite official arrangements by the responsible department.

The group consisted of ten dedicated boys and eight determined girls, all talented school-level athletes officially dispatched under the auspices of the State Education and Mass Education Department for this significant national-level sporting event, yet astonishingly, only four individuals were provided with confirmed berths for the outbound travel, leaving the remaining fourteen athletes with no option but to endure the hardships of overcrowded general compartments throughout the arduous trip.

Compelled to occupy the cramped, unsanitary, and perpetually malodorous space directly adjacent to the train toilet, these young competitors were forced to sit directly on the unforgiving cold steel floor surrounded by their bulky luggage, constantly exposed to the foul smells emanating from the facility, the relentless passage of passengers moving between coaches, and the piercing winter cold that made the environment even more intolerable during the extended journey.

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Widely shared video evidence captures the heartbreaking reality of the situation, showing the athletes huddled closely together in a desperate attempt to conserve body heat, with some precariously balanced atop their piled-up bags for minimal comfort while others slumped forward in visible exhaustion and discomfort, their bodies fully wrapped in layers of clothing as a feeble defence against the harsh chilling temperatures that prevailed inside the unheated compartment.

The return leg of the journey proved to be no less harrowing, as confirmed tickets remained unavailable once again, forcing the athletes to repeat the same deplorable travel experience, which has sparked serious allegations of gross mismanagement levelled by an Assistant Director from the Odisha Sports Authority and ignited widespread public outrage over the evident disregard for the basic safety, dignity, health, and overall well-being of these committed young representatives competing at a national platform.

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