Indian cricketer Virat Kohli has come under heavy criticism online after he was seen at the Mumbai airport with his wife Anushka Sharma on Thursday—just a day after the fatal stampede at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium, which claimed 11 lives and left more than 50 injured.
The timing of his travel sparked backlash, with many calling it insensitive, causing the hashtag #arrestKohli to trend widely on X (formerly Twitter).
Several social media users alleged that Wednesday’s victory celebrations were arranged to suit Kohli’s travel schedule, as he was set to fly to London the following day. This fueled further outrage, with critics pointing out that aside from a single online post, Kohli had made no additional public gesture in response to the tragedy.
On Instagram, Kohli wrote, “Deeply saddened to hear about the incident. My thoughts and prayers go out to the families and loved ones of the victims.” Yet many users expressed disappointment over his lack of further engagement, especially considering the gravity of the situation.
Meanwhile, authorities have begun taking action against those involved in organizing the RCB celebration event. Nikhil Sosale, Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) head of marketing, was arrested at the Bengaluru airport while trying to fly to Mumbai. Police also detained three staffers from DNA Entertainment Networks Pvt. Ltd., the event management firm that handled the show.
These arrests follow orders from Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who called for the arrest of key figures from RCB, DNA Entertainment, and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA).
Kohli’s half-century leads Bengaluru to IPL win over Kolkata
The police registered an FIR under several charges, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder. In addition, the state government suspended Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda and several senior officers, blaming the Commissioner’s office for not issuing a formal denial or preparing to manage the crowd, despite prior knowledge of the event.
On Thursday, RCB issued a statement expressing that the team’s players, staff, and management were “deeply anguished.” They also announced ₹10 lakh in financial aid for each of the 11 victims’ families and introduced an ‘RCB Cares’ fund to support the 33 injured fans.
Still, much of the public criticism remains aimed at Kohli, with many users questioning the timing of his departure and what they see as a minimal response to the tragic incident.
Source: Hindustan Times