IPL Cricketer Shivalik Sharma Arrested for Rape After Engagement Fallout in Rajasthan

IPL franchise Mumbai Indians' all-rounder Shivalik Sharma has been arrested by police in Rajasthan on charges of rape. The complaint, filed by a young woman from Sector-2, Kudi Bhagtasni, alleges that the cricketer sexually exploited her under the pretext of marriage after their engagement.

IPL Cricketer Shivalik Sharma Arrested for Rape After Engagement Fallout in Rajasthan

According to Assistant Commissioner of Police Anand Singh, the woman met Shivalik in February 2023 during a trip to Vadodara, Gujarat. Their friendship gradually turned into a relationship, and both families were soon involved. In August 2023, Shivalik’s parents visited Jodhpur, after which the couple got engaged with mutual consent.

Shivalik’s family allegedly backtracked on the engagement 

The complainant claims that post-engagement, during Shivalik’s visit to Jodhpur, the two became physically intimate and travelled together across various parts of Rajasthan. However, in August 2024, when the woman went to Vadodara, Shivalik’s family allegedly backtracked on the engagement, stating that marriage was no longer possible due to his rising cricket career and new matrimonial prospects.

Following the abrupt refusal, the woman lodged a rape complaint. Medical examination, court statements, and other legal formalities have since been completed. The case is being investigated by the Kudi Bhagtasni police station, with witness testimonies already recorded.

Shivalik Sharma, a native of Vadodara, has previously played for the city’s Ranji Trophy team and was included in the Mumbai Indians squad for the 2024 Indian Premier League season as an all-rounder. His arrest has sent shockwaves across the cricketing and sporting circles, drawing attention to the responsibilities of professional athletes both on and off the field.