Madhya Pradesh Cabinet Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya has said that cricketers should inform the local administration or their team security officials while stepping out, days after two Australian women players were allegedly stalked and molested in Indore.

Speaking to reporters over the incident, Mr. Vijayvargiya, who is also an MLA from Indore, said, “Players should keep the local administration or their security (officials) informed when they are going out. There is a huge craze for cricket players (in India) like it is for football players in England. Players sometimes don’t realise their fame but they are very popular. They should also be careful.”

“This incident is lesson for us and the players both,” he said.

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Meanwhile, a court in Indore on Sunday sent the accused Aqueel Khan, 29, to 14 days of judicial custody. Khan is accused of stalking and molesting by “touching inappropriately” two members of the Australia’s women’s cricket team that was in Indore for the ongoing 13th edition of the Women’s World Cup.

Indore Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rajesh Dandotiya told Sports stars that the accused has a criminal record of 10 past cases against him, including those of the Arms Act and the NDPS Act.

The incident had taken place around 11.30 a.m. on Thursday when the two players were walking to a cafe at Khajrana Road near Indore’s Holkar Cricket Stadium.

Mr. Dandotiya said that the accused was arrested Thursday night following an intensive operation supported by technical and human intelligence. A resident of Daulatbagh colony, the accused works as a painter.

“We have also seized a motorcycle that he used to stalk the players. It has no number plate,” the Addl. DCP said, while refuting the media reports that a bystander had noted his vehicle number.

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“The players, in their statement, had mentioned of a man in a car who offered to help them after the incident. But nobody had the accused’s vehicle number or any other substantial identification,” he added.

“We had raided his house on Thursday night but he was not there. We later pinned down on him with the help of human intelligence,” he said.

He said that the accused “tried to run from a police team and jumped into a drain and sustained injuries, including some fractures”.

Australia defeated South Africa in its last league match on Saturday at the Holkar Stadium, and is now slated to face India in the semifinal on October 30 at Navi Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium.

Published on Oct 26, 2025