Premium

Security breach during IPL match: ‘Virat is my God… Hope to be at Eden next IPL season’; cricket fan gets bail

Judicial Magistrate (CJM) directed Pakhira to furnish a bail bond of Rs 1,000

Virat KohliPakhira, who hails from Purba Bardhaman district, scaled the fencing net near the G Block of the stadium, allegedly dodging on-duty police personnel (Express Photo/Partha Paul)

RHITUPARNO PAKHIRA, the 18-year-old youth, who breached security to meet cricketer Virat Kohli on the field during the opening match of IPL 2025 at the Eden Gardens stadium on Saturday, was granted interim bail by the Bankshall Court in Kolkata on Monday. The Chief

Judicial Magistrate (CJM) directed Pakhira to furnish a bail bond of Rs 1,000.

Judge Kaustav Mukhopadhyay also directed that the man will not be able to enter the Eden Gardens stadium or the adjoining areas on IPL match days in Kolkata this season and the police would ensure that he does not obtain a ticket for any of the matches.

Story continues below this ad

“I have no regrets. I met [my] God and there cannot be any better feeling,” Pakhira told mediapersons after his release, underlining his admiration of Kohli.

He expressed disappointment at the prospect of missing future matches at Eden Gardens this IPL season but remained optimistic about attending next year.

“When I met him, he (Virat Kohli) asked me my name and then told me to just run away from the ground. He also told the security personnel to release me,” Pakhira claimed to mediapersons.

According to police sources, Pakhira, who hails from Purba Bardhaman district, scaled the fencing net near the G Block of the stadium, allegedly dodging on-duty police personnel. His actions led to a “significant disruption” during the match, alarming players of both teams (KKR and RCB) and potentially endangering their safety, the police said.

— with PTI

Sweety Kumari reports from West Bengal for The Indian Express. She is a journalist with over a decade of experience in the media industry. Covers Crime, Defence, Health , Politics etc and writes on trending topics. With a keen eye for investigative and human-interest stories. She has honed her craft across diverse beats including aviation, health, incidents etc. Sweety delivers impactful journalism that informs and engages audiences. Sweety Kumari is a graduate of Calcutta University with an Honors degree in Journalism from Jaipuria College and a PG in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University. Originally from Bihar, she is brought up in Kolkata and completed her education from Kendriya Vidyalaya SaltLake. Multilingual, Sweety is fluent in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Maithili. She started her career as an Entertainment and lifestyle journalist with a newsportal in Kolkata. She is working with The Indian Express for 8 years now. ... Read More

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Latest Comment
Post Comment
Read Comments
Advertisement

You May Like

Advertisement