The alleged molestation of two Australian women cricketers in Indore has triggered a nationwide outcry and an intense political storm in Madhya Pradesh. The players, who were in the city to participate in the ongoing Women’s World Cup being hosted in India, were reportedly “touched inappropriately” by a man identified as Aqeel Khan while walking from their hotel to a nearby café. The incident occurred a day after Australia’s victory over England in Indore, casting a shadow over the city’s reputation as one of India’s safest and “cleanest” urban centers.
According to police reports, Khan, who was riding a motorcycle, followed the players and inappropriately touched one of them before fleeing the scene. The cricketers immediately informed their team’s security officer, who lodged a complaint with local authorities. An FIR was promptly registered under Section 74 (use of criminal force to outrage a woman’s modesty) and Section 78 (stalking). Investigators traced the accused after an eyewitness managed to note down the motorcycle’s registration number. Police later revealed that Khan already had a record of previous criminal offenses, heightening concerns about recurring offenders and the state’s policing lapses.
The swift arrest of Khan did little to contain the political firestorm that followed. Opposition leaders seized upon the incident to criticize the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government for its alleged failure to provide adequate safety for women, especially visiting foreign nationals. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi condemned the incident, calling it a “disgraceful reflection” of the state’s inability to secure public spaces for women despite boasting of economic progress. Her statement underscored the growing perception that India’s urban development narratives are undermined by persistent issues of gender-based violence.
State Congress chief Jitu Patwari directed his criticism squarely at Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, who also serves as Madhya Pradesh’s Home Minister. In a sharp statement, Patwari accused Yadav of neglecting law and order in Indore. “This is the same Indore whose law and order is directly overseen by Mohan Yadav — the Chief Minister, Home Minister, and Indore’s in-charge minister. Such filth cannot be ignored in the country’s cleanest city,” he tweeted. The Congress further escalated the issue by framing it as a “national embarrassment,” saying the incident violated India’s cultural ethos of “Atithi Devo Bhava” — the principle of treating guests as divine.
In a formal statement, the Congress party labeled the episode as “proof of the BJP government’s collapse on law and order.” The party accused the state administration of hollow rhetoric on women’s safety and argued that the incident had exposed the gap between political promises and ground reality. The statement also pointed out that such crimes not only endanger women but also tarnish India’s image before the global sporting community.
The BJP, on the defensive, sought to mitigate political damage by highlighting the quick response of law enforcement. Senior minister Kailash Vijayvargiya announced that the government had instructed police to impose the “strictest possible punishment” on the accused. He emphasized that the administration would “set an example” to deter future offenses of this kind. Similarly, BJP leader Ajay Singh Yadav assured that the government was considering legislative steps to prevent the recurrence of such incidents, affirming the party’s “commitment to the safety of women and foreign nationals.”
Despite these assurances, the incident has reignited debates about systemic shortcomings in women’s safety in India, especially in states that host international events. Public sentiment remains critical, with many questioning how an offender with prior criminal records could roam freely in a city under heightened security during a global tournament. As the investigation progresses, the episode continues to resonate both politically and socially, forcing the Madhya Pradesh government to confront difficult questions about accountability, safety infrastructure, and the image it projects to the world.
