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ICC Women’s World Cup: Cops outnumbered crowd at opener!

When MS Dhoni & Co are in town, as many as 2,000 policemen and several battalions of special forces are on ‘stadium duty’. But do you need these many khaki-clad men to monitor, say, a few hundred people? Obviously not.

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When MS Dhoni & Co are in town, as many as 2,000 policemen and several battalions of special forces are on ‘stadium duty’. But do you need these many khaki-clad men to monitor, say, a few hundred people? Obviously not.

The Mumbai Police was given to understand that the ICC Women’s World Cup would be a ‘mega’ event. Three venues in the city — including the Brabourne Stadium — are hosting the matches. About 2,000 policemen were at the Churchgate venue when India took on the West Indies in the tournament opener on January 31. However, there were no more than a thousand spectators to watch Mithali Raj & Co coast to victory.

The crowd presence at subsequent matches was even worse. “What’s the point of deputing so many police personnel when there are just 100-odd spectators?” reasoned senior police inspector Zunjarao Gharal, who is attached to the Marine Drive police station. And as a result, only 60 policemen are being sent for stadium duty now.

NK Jha, secretary, Cricket Club of India, the aristocratic club which owns the stadium, said, “The response of the spectators on the first day was poor. However, a lot of people started coming to watch the next two matches. There were at least 1,000 people, mostly students...”

Given that India are out of the tournament, it’s but obvious that fewer people will attend the Super Six matches or, for that matter, the semifinals and final. And mind you, entry is free.

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