Security lapses found even before Australian players harassment in Indore:Earlier, New Zealand women cricketers roamed Indore pubs and bars without police escort; accused may face NSA action

The investigation into the alleged molestation of Australian women cricketers in Indore has revealed serious security lapses by the local administration. Police have sought a detailed report from the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) management regarding the security arrangements for the players, from their arrival at the airport to their stay at the hotel and movement to the stadium. However, a probe conducted at the Police Commissioner level has revealed that this was not the first time such a lapse occurred. Earlier, on October 21-22, a South African player had gone shopping at a city mall alone in a cab without any police escort. Similarly, two members of the New Zealand women’s cricket team had recently gone to pubs and restaurants to party, again without any security cover. The inquiry has also found that despite the availability of a sufficient number of women police personnel, none were deployed for the security of the visiting foreign players. “Accused may face NSA action,” says police Additional DCP (Crime) Rajesh Dandotiya said, As Aqeel is a repeat offender, preventive actions including NSA may be invoked. Indore commissionerate has zero tolerance against crimes targeting women. So far, over 97 habitual offenders have been externed, 37 bound over, and about 50 booked under NSA and PITNDPS Act. During interrogation, Aqeel confessed that he had approached one of the Australian players, greeted her with a “hi,” and asked for a selfie. When she refused, he tried to touch her and fled from the spot. ASP-level officers were monitoring security Officials said that the security lapse occurred despite the fact that dedicated police teams were deployed outside all hotels where the international players were staying, and that the security arrangements were being monitored by officers at the ASP level. According to the official protocol, no player is allowed to step out without informing the team management. Players had informed management before going out Sources said that the Australian women cricketers had informed their management before leaving their hotel to explore the city. The Australian team’s women security manager confirmed this, stating, The players had informed us that they were going to a café. We had conveyed this information to the BCCI. Despite this, the police failed to provide any security escort, leading to a serious breach that has now drawn national and international attention. Australian team deletes social media posts on incident Meanwhile, the Australian women’s cricket team has deleted all social media posts related to the incident from its official X (formerly Twitter) handle. In a statement, the team wrote: We have deleted all tweets related to the horrific incident involving our players. Our feelings about what happened have not changed, but we do not wish our platform to become a space for abusive or misogynistic comments.
Vijayvargiya’s advice to players: “Inform local administration before stepping out” After the incident came to light, Madhya Pradesh Urban Development Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya advised players to be cautious while moving out of their hotels. He said, “Players should inform their security personnel or local administration before stepping out. When we travel abroad, we too make sure that at least one local person knows where we are going. I think this incident will remind players to be more cautious in the future.” Vijayvargiya compared the popularity of cricketers in India to that of footballers in England. “Cricket is as popular here as football is in England. I have seen football players’ clothes being torn by fans. Once, when I was having coffee at a hotel there, a famous football player entered, and suddenly a crowd gathered. One girl kissed him, and his clothes were torn. Sometimes, players do not realize how popular they are. They need to be careful when going out,” he said. He added, “This incident is a lesson — for both the players and us as well.” Arun Yadav slams Vijayvargiya: “A disgusting statement” Vijayvargiya’s remarks sparked political outrage, drawing sharp criticism from senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Arun Yadav. Calling the minister’s comments “disgusting,” Yadav said, “I didn’t expect such a statement from Kailash Vijayvargiya. I always considered him a sensible BJP leader. But this is a very shameful comment.” He added, You are a responsible leader. Law and order is your department. Instead of making such statements, suspend the officers who failed to maintain security. You are the Chief Minister and Home Minister yourself — take action. These kinds of statements bring shame to the entire country. Pattern of repeated security failures Officials have now acknowledged that this is not an isolated case. There have been several past instances where coordination between local police and team security officers was inadequate. Despite BCCI protocols mandating continuous security cover for foreign teams, these were repeatedly ignored in Indore. During recent tours, players from various teams had visited cafes, malls, and restaurants without any police escort — yet the administration took no corrective steps. A senior officer admitted, “We failed to ensure that the standard security protocols were followed every time international players moved outside official venues.” Police review meeting and new security measures After the latest incident, a high-level review meeting was held late Sunday night. Police officials said that new security guidelines would be issued for all future international sporting events in Madhya Pradesh. The measures include: Public anger and diplomatic concern The incident has triggered widespread outrage among citizens and sports enthusiasts. Women’s rights activists and sports bodies have demanded strict action against the accused and accountability from the administration. Social media is flooded with posts under hashtags like #JusticeForAustralianPlayers and #IndoreSafetyFail, with many questioning India’s preparedness to host international sporting events safely. Sports analysts say that the incident could hurt India’s global sporting image at a time when preparations are underway for the Women’s T20 World Cup. Diplomatic outreach and BCCI response Officials from the Australian High Commission have been briefed about the progress of the investigation. Both the BCCI and MPCA are coordinating with Indore police to strengthen their internal safety mechanisms for visiting players. A senior police officer confirmed that action under the National Security Act (NSA) against the accused is under consideration. The officer said, The process to invoke NSA has started. We want to send a clear message that such acts will not be tolerated — especially when they target international athletes representing their countries. ​