Mizo table tennis star Lalrinpuia, who was arrested at Mumbai Airport on December 2017 is finally declared innocent by the Mumbai High Court and released from his 4 year long stay in prison.
The 23 year old sportstar went through a heart wrenching experience fighting to prove his innocence. On December 2017, he was invited for a sponsored trip to Mozambique, Africa along with his friend Lalchhuankima, another player. This invitation was proved to be a fraud involving two Mizo women as the culprits. While on his way back home to Mumbai Airport from Mozambique, the tennis table star was duped into smuggling a bag of Methaqualone worth 60 lakhs and got arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau on December 13, 2017. He was later moved to Taloja Jail.
This case took a period of four years. Apart from associations like Mizoram Table Tennis Association, the Mizoram Government,his friends and family,other Sports Association and the masses who sympathised and favours him took upon this case to the High Court and Supreme Court. He was found innocent on 14th March, 2022 by the High Court.
The table tennis star Lalrinpuia, who was at that moment training at Anshul Garg Academy,Delhi is the son of Lalchhuankima and Loicy from Maubawk Veng, Aizawl. At 11 years old, he stays at Ajmer, Rajasthan to pursue his training at PSPB Tennis Academy, India’s most successful tennis table Academy. At this institution, he competed in national level tournaments for different age groups and was awarded 40 medals. He won four titles as a seven years champion in National Championship. Having represented India, he took four internationals medals playing all around the world. He made it to the team squad and competed as a defensive player/chopper,which is deemed high and rare in table tennis.
Upon his release from prison, Lalrinpuia was received by the Mizo community in Mumbai with a heart warming welcome.
