In a shocking and distressing turn of events, two Australian cricketers were harassed and molested outside their hotel in Indore ahead of their World Cup match against South Africa on October 25. The players, whose identities have not been disclosed, were staying at the Radisson Blu Hotel, which has been serving as the Australian team’s base during the tournament.
According to reports from Dainik Jagran, the disturbing incident unfolded on the morning of October 25, when the two players, en route to a nearby café, became the targets of an aggressive man. The culprit, identified as Aqeel, a local resident of Indore, began following the cricketers as they walked on the street. On his motorbike, Aqeel made lewd gestures before attempting to physically grab one of the players, leaving the women in a state of shock and fear.
Realizing the seriousness of the situation, the cricketers swiftly sent an SOS distress signal to their Team Security Manager, Danny Simmons, at 11:08 AM. Along with the live location message, one of the players sent a WhatsApp text saying: “Hey SOS, just sending you my live location… there’s a guy following us trying to grab us.” The urgency of the message led Simmons to immediately notify the local police.
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Within moments, law enforcement arrived at the scene, apprehended Aqeel, and took him into custody. Following the arrest, the Australian team filed a formal FIR against the 30-year-old. The team later confirmed that while the players had not sustained any physical injuries, the emotional toll of the incident was significant. They were escorted back to the hotel for their safety.
In their official statement, the Australian team revealed that the players were only a short distance away from the hotel when the incident took place. “Around 11 AM, we received an SOS alert from the players stating that they were being followed and that the man was attempting to grab them. Both players were promptly escorted back to the hotel. Thankfully, they did not sustain any injuries,” the complaint to the police read.
The incident has raised concerns regarding the security protocols in place for international players during high-profile tournaments. Both the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) were quickly informed by the Australian team. The ICC sought clarification from the BCCI about the security lapse. In response, the BCCI stated that while security measures were in place, the players had ventured out on their own without an official escort, which led to the unfortunate situation.
The swift action by the local authorities in apprehending the culprit has been appreciated, but the incident has cast a shadow over what should have been a focus on the sport. The safety of athletes, especially women cricketers, is of paramount importance, and it is crucial that measures are strengthened to prevent such incidents from happening in the future.
