A 28-year-old security guard has been arrested in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, following allegations of sexual harassment made by a 35-year-old woman from Germany. The incident reportedly occurred inside Mahatma Gandhi Hall. Police took the guard into custody on Wednesday as part of their investigation into the claims.
“The woman visited Gandhi Hall on Tuesday when the accused made indecent remarks at her. Later, while she was taking selfies with her friend, he sexually harassed her. The woman cried for help, and other visitors rushed to her aid. Police were informed immediately. Police arrested the guard, Deepak Kumar, a resident of Sehore. “In the absence of an FIR, we could not take strict action against the accused. We did not want to let him go unpunished, so we persuaded the woman to lodge a formal complaint,” Sisodia added. This case comes less than a year after another high-profile incident in Indore .
An FIR was subsequently registered against Deepak Kumar under Section 74 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhitha (assault or criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty). The incident has raised concerns about safety at a public heritage site like Gandhi Hall, built in 1904, which attracts both domestic and international visitors. In October 2025, two Australian cricketers visiting the city for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup were stalked and inappropriately touched by motorcyclists, sparking outrage and highlighting gaps in tourist safety.
Initially, the woman, who was in trauma, refused to register a case, but we counselled her,” MG Road police station in-charge Vijay Sisodia said. Police officers said that Kumar was intoxicated at the time of the incident and was employed on a contractual basis.
