Two Australian players were reportedly touched inappropriately while on their way to a café in Indore, India, during the current Women’s Cricket World Cup. The incident occurred on Thursday morning, a day after Australia defeated England.
As reported by Cricket Australia (CA), the incident was promptly reported to the authorities locally, and police have officially reported that a suspect has been arrested and identified.
Two Australian Players Harassed by a Motorcyclist in Indore
Releasing an official statement, Cricket Australia stated:
We can verify two members of the Australian Women’s Team were approached and inappropriately touched by a motorcyclist on their way to a café in Indore. The incident was reported to police by team security, who are conducting the case.”
Police investigations showed that the accused trailed the players for a brief distance, reportedly making indecent remarks before attempting improper physical contact.
Police Confirm Arrest After Viewing CCTV Footage
Rajesh Dandotiya, Indore’s Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) confirmed that the accused was identified quickly with the help of CCTV footage and was later arrested.
“The accused trailed the women players for some distance and continuously passed lewd comments. He then brought his motorcycle near and made an indecent physical contact,” Dandotiya informed BBC News Hindi.
The authorities added that a case has been filed and further investigation is in progress.
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BCCI and Cricket Australia React to Incident
After the shocking incident, Cricket Australia and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) released statements denouncing the act and assuring player safety.
The Honorary Secretary of the BCCI, Devajit Saikia, referred to the incident as “deeply regrettable” and assured that India would go out of its way to provide safety to visiting teams.
“India has always been renowned for its warmth, hospitality and concern towards all guests. We have a zero-tolerance policy towards such behavior,” Saikia added.
“We welcome the prompt and efficient action by the Madhya Pradesh Police in arresting the accused. The law will take its due course to deliver justice. We will also examine and tighten existing security procedures if required.”
Australia Continue Women’s World Cup Campaign
In spite of the egregious incident, the Australian team will continue playing their Women’s World Cup, taking on South Africa in their last group-stage encounter in Indore on Saturday.
The team management has confirmed that players’ safety and well-being are the ultimate concern. Extra security protocols have reportedly been put in place for the rest of the tournament.
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