Indian woman raises #MeToo charge against Arjuna Ranatunga

Mumbai: The raging #MeToo movement seems to be opening a Pandora's box in every arena, including sports. The latest personality who has been accused of misbehaviour is former Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga.

A former Indian flight attendant accused the legendary batsman of sexually harassing her at a hotel in Mumbai. In a Facebook post, the woman alleged that Ranatunga grabbed her by the waist. She further said that she was able to escape him and ran to the hotel reception but found none to help her.

Ranatunga is yet to comment on her allegations.

Recently, Indian badminton player Jwala Gutta raked up past complaints of 'mental harassment' and selection biases, saying that what she went through fell under the ambit of the ongoing #MeToo movement. On Wednesday, Rio silver medallist P V Sindhu encouraged people from various walks of life to step out and speak about harassment.

The #MeToo movement, which began in the United States more than a year ago in response to accusations of sexual harassment by powerful men in the entertainment industry, gained traction in India in late September after the actress Tanushree Dutta said prominent actor Nana Patekar behaved inappropriately on the sets of a film they were shooting in 2008. Patekar has denied any wrongdoing.

Since then, more than a dozen men in the media, entertainment and art worlds have been accused of offences, ranging from sexual harassment to rape.

(With inputs from agencies)

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