New Delhi, Oct 25 (NationPress) Cricket Australia announced on Saturday that two of their female cricketers, currently competing in the ongoing Women’s World Cup, were subjected to molestation and were inappropriately touched while walking to a cafe in Indore.

The Australian women's team is presently in Indore, gearing up to face South Africa in a pivotal match, which will determine the leaderboard as the tournament approaches the semifinal stage.

Regrettably, the Australian cricket board disclosed that a biker molested two of its players. They confirmed that the incident was promptly reported to the authorities, who initiated an investigation.

“Cricket Australia can confirm that two members of the Australian Women’s team were approached and touched inappropriately by a motorcyclist while walking to a cafe in Indore. The situation has been reported to the police, who are actively addressing the matter,” the statement from CA indicated.

The police arrested the suspect on Khajrana Road on Thursday morning. The two cricketers had just left their hotel and were on their way to a café when a man on a motorcycle began following them, inappropriately touching one and then fleeing the scene.

They immediately contacted their team security officer, Danny Simmons, who coordinated with local security personnel to arrange for assistance.

Monitoring footage, hotel records, and statements from security staff concerning the incident were analyzed, leading to the apprehension of the accused, Akil Khan.

Police reports indicated that “The incident transpired around 11 a.m. on Thursday as the players were heading to a café located about half a kilometer from their hotel.”

Following the report, senior police officials interviewed the players, documented their accounts, and filed a First Information Report under Section 74 (criminal force to outrage a woman's modesty) and Section 78 (stalking) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the MIG police station.

According to a police official, a bystander noted the motorcycle number, which led to the arrest of Aqeel Khan. He was detained late Friday, and the investigation is ongoing, the police stated on Saturday. Authorities shared that Aqeel, riding a black motorcycle, approached the players, slowed down, inappropriately touched them, and then drove off.

“The motorcycle matched precisely with the eyewitness description and license plate,” the police commented. “Khan has prior criminal cases against him, and the investigation continues,” they added.

In a media statement, state minister Kailash Vijayvargiya expressed his concern, stating that he had just learned of the incident and deemed it an extremely disgraceful act. He emphasized, “This incident is not merely misbehavior towards a woman athlete; it tarnishes India’s image. We must take the strictest actions against those responsible to ensure that no one dares to harm the nation’s reputation in the future.”

He further remarked that the Madhya Pradesh government adheres to a zero-tolerance policy regarding such offenses. If anyone is found culpable during the investigation, they should face legal repercussions that set a precedent for others.