According to Indian media, the incident occurred on Thursday morning in the central Indian city of Indore when two members of the Australian women’s cricket team left their hotel to visit a café. On their way, a man on a motorcycle allegedly harassed them. Police and Cricket Australia did not disclose the players’ names, but confirmed that one suspect has been arrested.
As reported by NDTV, BJP senior leader and Madhya Pradesh minister Kailash Vijayvargiya said the incident was “a lesson for everyone.”
“Sometimes players don’t realize how popular they are,” he said. “Because of their fame, they should be cautious. This incident is a lesson for all of us.”
He added that while there may have been a lapse in security, the players should have informed local authorities before going out. “They didn’t tell anyone or inform the local administration, but now they’ll learn from this and will be more careful in the future,” he said.
The minister further stated, “Whenever any of us goes out, we at least inform a local person. I think the players will now remember that next time they go somewhere, they must notify security or the administration, because cricketers have huge fan followings.”
Earlier, Indore’s Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajesh Dandotiya told the ANI news agency that Australian team security officials had filed a complaint, stating that two players were harassed.
He confirmed that a First Information Report (FIR) had been registered and the suspect was arrested after a thorough operation. The accused, a 30-year-old man with a prior criminal record, faces charges of harassment and stalking.
Cricket Australia confirmed that the team’s security staff reported the incident to police, who are now investigating.
Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Devajit Saikia called the incident “deeply regrettable and isolated,” praising the Madhya Pradesh police for acting swiftly to arrest the suspect and ensure justice.
He added, “We will review and strengthen our security protocols to ensure such incidents do not happen again.”
According to the Times of India, the team’s security manager received a message from one of the players saying, “A man is following us and trying to touch us.” Police and team officials immediately reached the scene and safely escorted both players back to their hotel.
