Virat Kohli: Investigation launched into rape threats against Indian cricket captain’s infant daughter

Indian skipper was trolled for speaking up for his Muslim colleague

Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli at a test match (PA Wire)

Days after an online harasser issued a rape threat to Indian cricket team skipper Virat Kohli's nine-month-old daughter, a Delhi-based women’s organisation instructed the police to file a complaint.

Taking suo motu cognisance of media reports regarding the threat, the Delhi Commission for Women (DWC) on Tuesday issued a notice to the police to take immediate action.

The commission asked the cyber crime department to register a First Information Report (FIR) — a police complaint — and share information, including a copy of the FIR with details of the accused, before 8 November.

Swati Maliwal, the chairperson of DWC, said on Twitter in Hindi that "the way Virat Kohli's nine-month-old daughter was threatened with rape on Twitter is very shameful.”

“This team has made us proud thousands of times, why this silliness in defeat,” she asked.

The threat was issued to the daughter of Kohli and Bollywood actor Anushka Sharma after the skipper tore into trolls who attacked his Muslim colleague because of his religion.

Following India's humiliating loss to Pakistan in their opening game of the T20 World Cup in Dubai, Muslim player Mohammed Shami was falsely accused of throwing the match.

This was one of the several instances of clampdown against Muslims -- the minority community in India. Several Muslim citizens were arrested or booked for allegedly cheering Pakistan’s victory. Some were charged under a draconian anti-terrorism law, while others faced sedition charges.

Slamming the bigoted campaign, Mr Kohli last week said: "attacking someone over their religion is the most, I would say, the pathetic thing that a human being can do."

He added: “everyone has the right to voice their opinion over what they feel about a certain situation, but I personally have never ever even thought of discriminating [against] anyone over their religion. That’s a very sacred and personal thing to every human being".

Soon after, Mr Kohli was at a centre of a vicious attack, where right wing hardliners accused him of forwarding Pakistan's agenda and demeaning Hindus. Several Twitter users hoped the Indian team would lose its next match as a form of retribution.

Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi was among the several people who backed Mr Kohli. “Dear Virat, These people are filled with hate because nobody gives them any love. Forgive them. Protect the team,” Mr Gandhi wrote on Twitter.