FEATURE

Kohli-Anushka’s 9-Month-Old Daughter Gets Rape Threats

Cricket rivals India and Pakistan clashed against each other at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on October 24. Moments later, India’s Mohammed Shami faced harsh online abuse. Now, a week since the match, Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli came out in support of Mohammed Shami but now, his and Anushka Sharma’s daughter Vamika is getting rape threats. Online trolls are now sending rape threats to Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli’s 9-month-old daughter, Vamika.

Following this, the Delhi Commission of Women issued a notice to the Delhi police in connection with rape threats issued against the minor daughter of Virat Kohli and actor Anushka Sharma.

The online rape threats were made following Virat Kohli’s criticism against the hate messages made against pacer Mohammed Shami after the team’s loss to Pakistan at the T20 World Cup series on October 24. In a notice addressed to the Deputy Commissioner of Police and Cyber Crime Branch of Delhi Police, Commission Chairperson Swati Maliwal said that the DCW has taken suo motu cognisance of the matter based on media reports.

“It has been reported that online threats are given to rape the 9-month-old girl child of Virat Kohli since the team’s defeat in the recent India-Pakistan match. It is learnt that he is being also attacked since he spoke against the incessant trolling of his teammate Mohammad Shami who was targeted for his religion by online trolls,” Maliwal wrote in her notice.

She sought action from the police and asked for a copy of the FIR (first information report) registered in his regard and details of the accused who have been arrested. She asked if the police have not arrested any accused in the case, then the police should illustrate the steps taken in this regard and provide a detailed action taken report. All this information has to be submitted by the police to the DCW by November 8, the notice signed by Maliwal said.

Screenshots of alleged rape threats were shared on social media platforms, including Twitter. BoomLive reported that one such threat was made by a Twitter user who went by the name @ramanheist earlier and had recently changed the handle name to @criccrazyygirl to pose as a Pakistani cricket fan. Analysing past tweets by the handle, BoomLive reported that the account was run by a Telugu-speaking Indian right-wing user and not a Pakistani cricket fan.

On October 30, Kohli had defended pacer Mohammed Shami, who was abused on social media following the team’s loss to Pakistan in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Shami is the only Muslim player in India’s 15-member World Cup squad.

“Attacking someone over their religion is the most, I would say, pathetic thing that a human being can do,” Kohli had said at an online interaction from Dubai. “We [the team] stand by him fully. We are backing him 200 per cent. And all those who have attacked can come in more force if they want to… Our brotherhood, our friendship within the team and nothing can be shaken.”

On Tuesday evening, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi posted a tweet lending support to Kohli.

“Dear Virat, these people are filled with hate because nobody gives them any love,” he said. “Forgive them. Protect the team.”

Last year, MS Dhoni’s daughter was also a victim to similar threats by online trolls.

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