NEW DELHI: Aqeel Khan, the 30-year-old man arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting two members of the Australian women’s cricket team in Indore, initially told police he only wanted to take a selfie with the players. However, he later admitted following and assaulting them after spotting them on his way home.
Investigation revealed that on the morning of the alleged attack, Aqeel had gone to Sathya Sai Square to drop off his father. On his way back, he noticed the players walking from Robot Square towards Khajrana. He first passed them, then turned around, approached them again and allegedly assaulted them before fleeing on a motorcycle without a registration number.MIG police traced Aqeel through technical surveillance and intelligence and arrested him. “Initially, he maintained that he only wanted a selfie, but later admitted to following and assaulting the players,” said DCP Rajesh Dandotiya. On Sunday, Aqeel was produced in court and remanded in custody for 15 days.
The shocking incident, which involved two Australian cricketers competing in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, has raised concerns about India’s image as a safe sporting destination, particularly as the country prepares to host the Commonwealth Games and other major international events in 2030.The assault took place on Thursday, just two days before the top-of-the-table clash between Australia and South Africa. In a statement, Cricket Australia confirmed: “CA can confirm that two members of the Australian women’s team were approached and touched inappropriately by a motorcyclist while on their way to a cafe in Indore. The matter was reported by team security to police who are investigating the matter.”
