In response to the molestation incident involving two Australian players in Indore, security measures in Navi Mumbai have been beefed up ahead of the remaining matches of the Women’s World Cup 2025. The city is set to host two of the tournament’s final three fixtures, including the highly anticipated India vs Australia semifinal on Thursday and the final on Sunday at DY Patil Stadium.
The Navi Mumbai police have considerably strengthened their presence around team hotels, stadiums, and travel routes. A senior Maharashtra Police officer told India Today, “Since the very first day that is, from October 18th, when practice started here, we have deployed guards at all the hotels where the women players are staying. Apart from that, whenever the team travels from the stadium to the hotel or vice versa, we provide them with an escort. Here on the ground, we have deployed approximately 600 personnel, comprising 75 officers and the remainder as police constables. In addition, if any player wants to go out, they must inform us, and we provide them with protection as well.”
He added that the police are maintaining round-the-clock vigilance and urged players to coordinate their movements with local authorities. “After learning about the incident, actually, we were already taking precautions from the beginning, but sometimes what happens is that players go out without informing the police, and that creates a problem. If they inform us beforehand, we ensure their protection,”.
Indore molestation case
The October 23 incident in Indore occurred when two Australian cricketers were inappropriately touched while visiting a local cafe. Following the players’ complaint, an FIR was filed under Section 74 (use of criminal force to outrage a woman’s modesty) and Section 78 (stalking). The accused, Aqueel Sheikh, was arrested after a six-hour operation by Madhya Pradesh police.
