India marathon boy coach remanded

By Tinku Ray
BBC News, Delhi

Budhia Singh ran from Puri to Bhubaneswar for a world record

A coach charged with torturing a five-year-old Indian boy famous for running marathons has been remanded in custody after a court appearance.

Biranchi Das appeared in court in the eastern state of Orissa charged with intimidation and torture of Budhia Singh. Mr Das denies the allegations.

Budhia Singh last year ran 65km (40 miles) without rest in a little over seven hours.

But doctors and child rights activists condemned the run.

Examination

Until recently it seemed the coach was like a father to the young marathon runner.

In an interview to a local journalist last month, Budhia's mother, who has filed the charges, said Mr Das was like a god and she fully supported his training of her son.

But on Sunday Budhia showed journalists scars on his body which he claims were inflicted by Mr Das.

The young boy said he had been locked up for a couple of days and denied food.

Based on the charges police instructed Budhia to be examined by doctors.

No official report has been released yet, but one of the doctors on the team told local journalists that the wounds were at least six to nine months old.

Coach Das says the charges are baseless and in retaliation for not giving Budhia's mother money that she had asked for.

Earlier this year, police in Orissa stopped Budhia from competing in a 500km walk on the grounds that it would seriously damage his health.

The boy's coach and mother fought together to try to overturn that decision but failed.