Australian Women Cricketers Harassed In Indore, BJP Faces Criticism Over Safety

Indore, Madhya Pradesh - The alleged molestation of two Australian women cricketers in Indore has ignited widespread political and public concern. The incident occurred while the players were walking to a café and were inappropriately touched by a motorcyclist, identified as Akil Khan, who was later arrested by local police.

Political Reactions

Jitendra Patwari, president of the Madhya Pradesh Congress state unit, condemned the incident and criticized the ruling BJP government for failing to ensure women's safety in Indore. Patwari highlighted that the city falls under the direct supervision of the Chief Minister, who also holds the Home Minister portfolio, calling the incident "shameful and reprehensible" and indicative of poor law and order.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi also voiced her outrage on social media, describing the act as disgraceful and drawing attention to the ongoing failure to provide safe public spaces for women.

The BJP government emphasized the swift police action and the arrest of the accused, underlining a zero-tolerance approach toward such offences. However, BJP MLA Rameshwar Sharma stirred controversy by mentioning the accused's religion, referring to him as an "illegitimate child" defaming Indian culture and Islam. Sharma also assured that strict action would be taken and stringent laws could be invoked.

Cricket Community Response

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) condemned the incident, calling it unfortunate and promising to review security measures for the remaining Women's World Cup matches hosted in India.

The Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association expressed shock and reiterated support for the affected players, stating that no woman should endure such trauma.

Incident Details

According to police reports, the accused followed the two players on a motorcycle, inappropriately touched one of them, and fled. The players immediately informed their team security, who coordinated with the local authorities. Akil Khan, who reportedly has prior criminal cases against him, was apprehended based on CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts.

This incident has intensified debates over women's safety in India and raised questions about law and order in Madhya Pradesh, drawing both political criticism and public concern.