Two Australian women's cricket players were stalked and sexually harassed by a motorcyclist while walking in Indore during the ICC Women’s World Cup. The accused, Aqeel Khan, a serial offender with 10 prior criminal cases, was quickly arrested. Madhya Pradesh minister Kailash Vijayvargiya's comments placing responsibility on the women for not informing security have sparked criticism.
Last week, two players from the Australian women's cricket team, participating in the ongoing ICC Women’s World Cup, stepped out of their hotel in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, for a walk to a nearby cafe. What began as a routine outing turned distressing when a 29-year-old man, Aqeel Khan alias Naitra, allegedly followed them on a motorcycle along Khajrana Road and sexually harassed one of them by touching her inappropriately before fleeing.
The incident occurred on a Thursday morning near the Radisson Blu Hotel where the team was staying. The team's security manager, Danny Simmons, lodged a complaint after receiving a distress alert from one of the players. Police swiftly identified and apprehended Khan, a resident of Doltabag in Indore’s Khajrana area from a family of labourers who worked as a painter. He is now in judicial custody.
Khan has a lengthy criminal record spanning over a decade, with at least 10 cases registered against him in Madhya Pradesh. His offences include a 2012 theft of a gas cylinder, resolved in a Lok Adalat; a 2013 robbery in Sanyogitaganj; a 2015 mobile phone theft, for which he was acquitted; and a 2017 conviction under IPC Section 394 for voluntarily causing hurt during robbery, resulting in a three-year sentence. While in Ujjain prison, he was involved in a 2017 fight with inmates using a sharp object. Other cases involve an 2018 Excise Act violation, a 2022 drug offence fined by a court, a 2023 attempted murder in a property dispute, and three 2024 armed robberies where he allegedly used a knife, stabbing victims and stealing items like a motorcycle and phone.
The Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association expressed regret over the 'reputational damage' to Indore, calling it a shadow on the city's image. However, Madhya Pradesh cabinet minister Kailash Vijayvargiya drew widespread criticism for his response, suggesting the players should have informed security or local administration before venturing out, framing it as a 'sabak' or lesson. This remark highlights persistent attitudes that place the onus of safety on women, echoing similar comments from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in another case. The editorial in The Indian Express urged the minister to correct himself, emphasizing the need for public spaces where women feel secure without conditional norms.