Web desk: Indian police have arrested a man accused of stalking and inappropriately touching two Australian cricketers in Indore during the ICC Women’s World Cup.
Officials said the incident took place on Thursday morning when the players had left their hotel to visit a café.
Police identified the suspect as a 30-year-old man with a previous criminal record.
Officers said he followed the players for some distance before attempting to touch them inappropriately about 800 metres from their hotel.
Rajesh Dandotiya, a senior police officer in Indore, said the matter was reported quickly and action was taken without delay.
“We received a complaint from the Australian team security and immediately acted, registered a case and identified the accused within six hours,” he told AFP.
Australian Cricketers ‘Stalked’ in India
Cricket Australia also confirmed the incident, saying in a statement that the matter had been referred to local authorities.
“The matter was reported by team security to police, who are handling the matter,” the statement said. Neither the players involved nor further details about the case were made public.
Local reports said the team’s security manager received a distress message from one of the players, stating that a man was following and trying to grab them.
Team officials immediately went to their location and alerted police. A patrol team then arrived and escorted the players safely back to their hotel.
Police said a formal case has been registered against the suspect for inappropriate behaviour and stalking.
He is currently in custody while the investigation continues. Authorities said security around the team has been tightened following the incident.
The Australian squad was in Indore to play South Africa in a group-stage match on Saturday.
Incidents of harassment against women remain a serious concern in India.
Despite new laws and awareness campaigns, rights groups say women continue to face safety risks in public places.
Official figures show that nearly 90 rapes are reported on average each day across the country.
