In a startling revelation, former India women’s hockey captain Asunta Lakra has accused Hockey India Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh of threatening her with consequences after she raised objections to the sexual harassment of girls in Jharkhand.Lakra, who is also a member of Hockey India’s executive board and selection committee, along with a few international women players from Jharkhand, has sent a written complaint to Jharkhand Sports Minister Sudivya Kumar and to Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s office.“I was threatened by HI Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh in May while I was attending to my ailing father. He was incredibly rude and told me to ‘behave’ after I raised the sexual harassment case at the Eklavya Centre against Sudhir Golla,” Lakra told the media on Thursday night.“Sudhir is still claiming today that there is no suspension letter and has also threatened the girls, telling them he will ruin their careers. How is he being allowed to enter the centre after what he did? The worst part is that they then conspired to get a complaint letter from a girl stating that I was mentally harassing her and that I had threatened to remove her from camps and her job. This is preposterous. Anyone who knows me knows that I have given my life to hockey,” Lakra added.In a letter dated June 29, signed by over 31 individuals, including 15 international players from Jharkhand, the group accused officials of backing Sudhir Golla, who is accused of sexual misconduct.“As it is known to you, sir, the case pertains to former hockey coach Sudhir Golla from Eklavya Training Centre, Morabadi, Ranchi, who has committed sexual harassment against girls and boys and has also used casteist slurs against them. It seems that he has the full backing of Hockey India officials. When well-wishers of the sport and a few international players raise this serious matter, they are threatened and told to ‘stay within our limits’. We are deeply perturbed by these developments,” the letter stated.Interestingly, the Hockey India Secretary General is also President of Hockey Jharkhand.Golla, who was part of the coaching staff of India’s U-18 team that was to play Australia in a home series in Bhopal, was asked to leave the premises after allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced against him.A complaint of dereliction of duty and sexual misconduct was filed against him with the Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs, Jharkhand. Following this, he was removed from the centre and his duties were assigned to a woman coach pending inquiry.HI Secretary General Bhola Nath has denied the allegations and said he had never misbehaved with any woman member.“I do not know why Asunta Lakra is alleging that I threatened her. I come from a respectable family and have been raised the right way. I have never behaved in that manner with anyone,” he told The Tribune on Friday.However, Syed Asima Ali, Vice-President of HI, said the matter of sexual harassment was also discussed during an executive board meeting, where Bhola Nath Singh tried to shout at both Asunta and her.“Asunta raised the issue of the Jharkhand coach’s sexual harassment case. He started to shout. I had to intervene and asked why Internal Complaints Committee was never involved in such cases. He conducted an inquiry and that was it. He shouted at me as well. At that point, I warned him of serious consequences, saying his acts fall under the POSH Act. Then he stopped,” Ali confirmed.