Former Indian cricket team captain Sunil Gavaskar has expressed his anger as he got to know about the incident that unfolded in Indore during the Women’s World Cup – where two Australian cricketers were harassed. According to Cricket Australia, the two players were ‘inappropriately touched’ by the motor cyclist as they travelled to a nearby cafe from their hotel on Thursday morning.
The police identified the culprit Aqeel Khan and the investigation is currently ongoing. Gavaskar condemned the incident and emphasised that the man should face serious consequences.
“Yes, I think because we are famous for Atithi Devo Bhava, to hear of this is very, very sad,” Gavaskar told India Today.
“It is, without question, a heinous incident. The law will take its course, but I do hope that the guilty person is punished severely – you lock them up and throw away the key. That’s the only way, I think. Just lock him up and throw the keys away,” he added.
As soon as the incident happened the players immediately reported this to the their security liason and the authorities acted promptly. The Madhya Pradesh police confirmed that the players were stalked and one of them was molested. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also issued a statement, strongly condemning the incident and reaffirming its zero-tolerance stance on such behavior.
Also Read: IND vs AUS: Harshit Rana silences all critics, picks four wickets in 3rd ODI
“It is a very condemnable but stray incident. India is known for its hospitality and care. We have zero tolerance for such incidents. We appreciate the State Police (Madhya Pradesh) for their prompt action to nab the culprit. Let the law take its course to punish the culprit. We assure to revisit our safety protocols if required to further tighten the security,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia gave an official statement.
