Representative image for Australian Women's Cricket Team.
Credit: Reuters
Two Australian women cricketers participating in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup were allegedly stalked and molested by a motorcycle-borne man in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore on Saturday morning. The accused, identified as Aqeel Khan, was arrested within hours after the players raised an alarm.
The two cricketers were staying with their team at the Radisson Blu Hotel and had stepped out for a walk towards a nearby café in the Khajrana Road area when the incident took place. According to Sub-Inspector Nidhi Raghuvanshi, a man on a motorcycle began following them and allegedly touched one of the players inappropriately before speeding away.
The players immediately contacted their team’s security manager, Danny Simmons, who coordinated with local security officers and dispatched a vehicle for assistance. An SOS was also triggered through the team’s alert system, prompting a swift response from the police.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Himani Mishra later met the players, recorded their statements, and filed a First Information Report at the MIG police station under Sections 74 (use of criminal force to outrage a woman’s modesty) and 78 (stalking) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Police said that a bystander who witnessed the incident managed to note the motorcycle’s registration number, helping authorities quickly identify and apprehend the accused. “Khan has previous criminal cases registered against him, and further investigation is underway,” said officer Raghuvanshi.
The incident occurred two days before Australia’s top-of-the-table clash against South Africa in the ongoing World Cup. The team had arrived in Indore a week earlier and had played a match against England on Wednesday.
While local authorities have assured increased patrolling near the team’s hotel and training areas, the incident has cast a shadow on what was meant to be a high-spirited tournament leg in the city.