Dhoni’s daughter receives rape threats after CSK’s loss

Malaika Shenai

18th September 2020

Five-year-old Ziva Dhoni received a rape threat on both Dhoni’s and Sakshi’s Instagram accounts from a sixteen-year-old boy hailing from Kutch. Led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Chennai Super Kings lost a match against Kolkata Knight Riders on Wednesday, October 7, by ten runs. Following the game and owing to a poor performance by Dhoni, his toddler received these rape threats. The security and police patrolling around Dhoni’s family farmhouse, where Sakshi and Ziva are currently living, was increased as a result.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni with his daughter Ziva (Source: DNA India)

We know that trolling celebrities and sports persons has become a trend nowadays when things do not go as people had hoped for them to, like winning an award or a match. Have we as human beings entered an era where it is okay for people to give social media threats to the female gender or any gender for that matter when she/they have nothing to do with the situation being discussed at hand?

Following the match day and the events that occurred due to CSK’s loss, fans were rattled and took to social media to express their anger and disgust for the threats that had been made. Soon after somebody posted the statement on Instagram, it got a lot of attention from people all around the country. The Hindustan Times reported that Netizens ever since have naturally been boiling over this, and celebrities, too, have been expressing their displeasure. Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan tweeted, “All the players giving their best, sometimes it just doesn’t work, but it’s doesn’t give anyone any authority to give a threat to a young child #mentality #respect.”

Politician Nagma tweeted, “Where are we headed as a Nation? It is disgusting Dhoni’s 5-Year-Old daughter Ziva is Getting Rape Threats after CSK lost the IPL match to KKR. Mr #PM what is happening in our country.” Sowmya Reddy, MLA from Jayanagara, Karnataka, wrote on her timeline, “This is just nasty! What is happening to our country? Where are we heading?”

A reporter from Times Now reported that “the 16-year-old, a class 12 student from Namna Kapaya village, was picked up from Mundra in Gujarat on Sunday.” The local police got the boy in custody after a tip-off from the Ranchi police, who had registered a case in the same. Times now reported that the Kutch superintendent of police Saurabh Singh confirmed that the teenager was called in for questioning, where he confessed to having made the threat on Instagram. The boy is said to be handed over to the Ranchi police, as the police have lodged the FIR in that place. Since the accused is a minor, further actions are supposed to be initiated as per the Juvenile Justice Act.

(Sources: The Hindustan Times,Times Now,Deccan Herald)

Edited by: Keyuri