Amid Rs 1 million extortion claim, CM Vijay urged to help teenage kabaddi player

Dubai: The mother of Indian kabaddi player Karthika has appealed to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay for intervention, alleging that her family was pressured to pay Rs 10 lakh (Dh 38,696) and that she has been prevented from meeting her daughter.

The appeal followed a heated exchange at Chennai International Airport on Monday, where Karthika returned after helping India win the Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship in Ahmedabad. India beat Uganda 35-15 in the women’s final, while the men defeated Sri Lanka 54-20.

Karthika’s mother, Saranya, alleged that individuals demanded Rs 10 lakh, claiming the payment was required for a sports department official according to ETV Bharat. She said the family was taken to Madurai and pressured to transfer money into accounts linked to people named Duraipandi and Suji.

The allegations have not been independently verified, and the individuals named have not responded to them as per the report.

Saranya also claimed she had not been able to meet her daughter for seven months. She alleged that supporters of Karthika’s former coach tried to stop her from approaching the player at the airport.

The controversy comes amid a separate sexual assault case involving the former coach, Raji, who was booked under the POCSO Act after a 17-year-old player accused him of abuse. Saranya claimed Karthika had also complained against him in July.

India women’s coach Kavitha Selvaraj denied reports of a personal dispute with Karthika, saying the player had told her she was unable to play in the final.

Saranya now seeks chief minister’s help to investigate the alleged financial transactions and resolve the family's dispute.