New Delhi: Pakistani javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem’s Instagram account has been blocked in India following a “legal request” in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack. Nadeem rose to fame by winning gold at the Paris Olympics at the expense of Indian superstar Neeraj Chopra.
Insta users trying to access Nadeem’s page from India are seeing the message: “Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content.”
As many as 26 people, mostly tourists, were brutally killed while several were injured when terrorists used firearms to launch a deadly attack in a meadow near the popular tourist destination in south Kashmir on April 22. The shocking incident prompted the government to crack down on Pakistani social media accounts that have a massive fan base in India.
Neerja Chopra faces backlash for inviting Nadeem
Last week, India’s superstar javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra faced widespread criticism for inviting Nadeem for the Neeraj Chopra Classic, a javelin event to be held in India next month. The horrific attack happened after Neeraj’s invitation to Nadeem, but users, infuriated by the ghastly terrorist attack, expressed anger at Chopra for inviting the Pakistani athlete to India amidst rising tensions between the two countries.
Nadeem had been invited by Chopra to take part in the inaugural NC Classic javelin event scheduled for May 24 in Bengaluru.
However, the Pakistani athlete declined the invitation, citing prior commitments.
Several Pakistani YouTube channels have also been restricted in India for “disseminating provocative and communally sensitive content, false and misleading narratives and misinformation against India, its Army and security agencies”.
The YouTube accounts of former Pakistani cricketers Shoaib Akhtar, Basit Ali, and Shahid Afridi have been withheld.
However, their Instagram accounts remain available in India, unlike Nadeem’s.
The Instagram accounts of the likes of Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Shah Afridi are also accessible.
The Instagram accounts of Pakistani celebrities, including actors Mahira Khan and Ali Zafar, have been blocked in India.
Users in India were unable to access Pakistan superstar Arshad Nadeem’s Instagram account owing to a “legal request”. Other Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
