Two Australian women cricketers, who were in Indore to participate in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, experienced a harrowing incident recently. They were stalked, and one was molested by a man on a motorcycle on Thursday morning in Madhya Pradesh.
Australia players during their match against South Africa at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore.
Police swiftly acted, arresting the suspect, Akil Khan, on Friday. The arrest was made possible by a bystander who provided the motorcycle’s registration number.
The Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) released a statement expressing profound distress over the incident. “No woman should ever have to endure such trauma, and our thoughts and support are with those impacted by this distressing incident. This unfortunate event has deeply affected everyone from MPCA, who cherishes the values of respect, safety, and dignity of women,” the association stated.
Commending the players’ fortitude, the MPCA added, “It is truly inspiring to see the players rise above this painful experience and continue to compete with courage and determination, carrying the pride of their nation on their shoulders in the match against South Africa.”
The association also extended a sincere apology to the Australian women’s team. “As the host, MPCA extends sincere apologies to the Australian women’s team for this deeply distressing and unfortunate incident while in our city, known for safety, grace, and hospitality,” their statement read.
MPCA officials clarified that local police and administration routinely provide security for all official team movements, including visits to cultural sites like the Mahakaal temple. They suggested an inquiry into whether the players had requested security for this specific personal outing.
The incident unfolded as the two cricketers were walking from their hotel towards a local café in the Khajrana Road area. The motorcyclist trailed them, then inappropriately touched one of the players before fleeing the scene.
The players immediately alerted their team security officer, Danny Simmons, sharing their real-time location. Simmons promptly relayed this information to the local security liaison officer, allowing police to arrive at the scene without delay.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Himani Mishra personally met with the players to record their statements. A First Information Report (FIR) was subsequently registered at the MIG police station under sections 74 and 78 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Sub-Inspector Nidhi Raghuvanshi confirmed that the arrested accused, Akil Khan, has a history of prior criminal cases, and the investigation is actively progressing.
Cricket Australia independently verified the incident, confirming that two team members were accosted and inappropriately touched by a motorcyclist while en route to a café in Indore, and that the matter had been officially reported to the police.
State Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya expressed his outrage, labelling the incident as “shameful” and calling for severe punitive action. He emphasized that it was “a matter concerning the country’s prestige and honour.”