Zero tolerance for such incidents: BCCI secretary Saikia condemns ordeal faced by two Australian women cricketers
Mumbai, October 25
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Devajit Saikia has condemned the incident in which two Australian cricketers were allegedly "inappropriately touched" in Indore and said there is zero tolerance for such incidents.
Cricket Australia released a statement to confirm that two members of the Australian women's team were allegedly "approached and touched inappropriately by a motorcyclist" on Thursday.
Saikia lauded the Madhya Pradesh Police for prompt action in the matter.
"It is a very condemnable but stray incident. India is known for its hospitality and care. We have zero tolerance for such incidents. We appreciate the State Police (Madhya Pradesh) for their prompt action to nab the culprit. Let the law take its course to punish the culprit. We assure to revisit our safety protocols if required to further tighten the security," he said.
On Thursday morning, two Australian women's cricketers left their team hotel and headed to a cafe ahead of their clash against South Africa. It was during this period that the two Australian cricketers were allegedly "inappropriately touched".The Australian team's management security complained about the "inappropriate behaviour" faced by the two players, and an FIR was subsequently registered.
"CA can confirm two members of the Australian Women's team were approached and touched inappropriately by a motorcyclist while walking to a cafe in Indore. The matter was reported by team security to police, who are handling the matter," CA said in a statement as quoted by Fox Sports Australia.
Saikia had earlier also strongly condemned the incident.
"Very unfortunate incident, and this type of incident brings disrepute. I appreciate the State police for their prompt action to nab the culprit. Let the law take its course to punish the culprit," he told ANI.
Meanwhile, Indore's Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Addl DCP, Crime Branch), Rajesh Dandotiyan, confirmed that the accused, Aqueel, was identified and arrested following an Intensive Strategic Operation.
"The Security officers of the women's Australian Cricket Team filed a complaint that two members of the team faced inappropriate behaviour. An FIR was registered, and the accused was identified and arrested following an Intensive Strategic Operation. The accused Aqueel is a resident of Azadnagar," he said while speaking to ANI.
"He has been charged under sections 74 and 78 of the BNS. The incident occurred around 11 am on October 23, when members of the women's Australian Cricket Team were walking towards a cafe from their hotel. We are examining if there were any shortfalls in the security protocols," he added.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good to see BCCI taking strong stance. Such incidents tarnish India's image as a sporting nation. Hope the culprit gets strict punishment under the law. We must ensure safety for all athletes visiting our country.
While I appreciate the prompt police action, I'm concerned about the security lapses. International players should have proper security escorts when moving around. This could have been prevented with better planning.
As someone who has visited India multiple times, I've always felt welcomed. It's unfortunate that one person's actions can create such negative perception. Hope this doesn't discourage future sporting events in India.
This makes me so angry! Women athletes work so hard to represent their countries, and they deserve respect everywhere. Hope the Australian players are getting proper support. India is better than this! ðŸ™
Quick police action is commendable, but the fact that this happened in the first place is concerning. Need better crowd management and security awareness around international sporting events.
As a cricket fan, this is really disappointing. We should be known for our sportsmanship and hospitality, not such incidents. Hope the affected players are okay and continue to enjoy their time in India.