Man arrested for threatening to rape India cricket star Kohli's toddler
India's captain Virat Kohli reacts during the ICC men's T20 World Cup cricket match against Afghanistan, Abu Dhabi, UAE, Nov. 3, 2021. (AFP Photo)


An Indian man was arrested Wednesday for allegedly threatening to rape cricket star Virat Kohli's infant daughter following India's defeat to archrival Pakistan in the Twenty20 World Cup.

Indian cricketers have faced a barrage of online hate and threats after crashing out of the T20 international tournament.

Police said investigators from the Mumbai Police Cyber Cell arrested Akubathini Ramnagesh, a software engineer, after his tweet targeting the cricketer's 10-month-old daughter went viral.

The 23-year-old suspect is facing charges of sexual harassment, criminal intimidation, defamation and publishing obscene material.

"He has been detained and is being brought to Mumbai," a police officer told Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Kohli is married to Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma and the couple welcomed their first child in January.

Ramnagesh is alleged to have issued the threats from his Twitter account following India's first-ever World Cup defeat to Pakistan in the opening game of the tournament on Oct. 24.

The humiliating, 10-wicket loss prompted trolling of the Indian team, including the side's only Muslim player, Mohammed Shami, who was subjected to a storm of social media abuse.

Several former cricketers and Shami's teammates, including Kohli, denounced the hateful outpouring against the bowler.