Virat Kohli’s Instagram account disappears overnight, back online in the morning
New Delhi: Indian star cricketer Virat Kohli sent the internet into a frenzy on Thursday night after his official Instagram account suddenly became inaccessible. However, the verified account, followed by over 274 million users, was restored on Friday morning after remaining unavailable for several hours.
Users attempting to open Kohli’s profile on Thursday night were shown a message stating that the page was unavailable, triggering confusion over whether the account had been deleted, deactivated, or temporarily suspended. The sudden disappearance quickly drew attention, given Kohli’s massive global following and strong social media presence.
Within minutes, hashtags related to Kohli began trending on X and other platforms. Fans shared screenshots of the error message and speculated about possible reasons behind the issue. While some suggested the cricketer may have chosen to step away from social media, others pointed to a technical glitch on Instagram’s side. A few users also raised concerns about a possible hacking attempt, though there was no confirmation to support such claims.
Adding to the speculation, Kohli’s brother Vikas Kohli’s Instagram account was also found to be inaccessible during the same period. While Virat Kohli’s account became active again around 8.30 am on Friday, his brother’s profile remained unavailable at the time of writing.
Kohli’s Instagram account has long been a major channel through which he connects with fans, sharing updates related to cricket, fitness, brand partnerships, and personal moments with his family. During the brief outage, his X account remained active.
The episode also triggered a wave of humour online, with worried fans flooding the comment section of Kohli’s wife and actor Anushka Sharma’s Instagram posts seeking answers. Comments such as “Bhaabhi, bhaiya ka account kahan gaya?” quickly went viral, turning concern into a meme fest. Anushka, however, did not respond to the comments.
As of now, neither Kohli nor his management team has issued any official statement explaining the reason behind the temporary disappearance. Instagram has also not clarified whether the issue was caused by a technical glitch or a policy-related action.
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Terror threat: Security heightened near key religious, heritage sites in Delhi
New Delhi (PTI): Security was tightened across key religious and heritage sites in Delhi on Saturday, including areas around the Red Fort and parts of Chandni Chowk, following intelligence inputs suggesting a possible terror threat, an official said.
Security agencies issued an alert on a possible explosion threat near Red Fort, a major tourist destination and high-security zone, after Central intelligence agencies indicated that Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) has allegedly kept prominent religious places in India on its target list.
Sources said specific inputs suggested that a temple in the Chandni Chowk area could be among the potential targets.
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While the intelligence inputs are being verified and assessed, security has been stepped up in and around sensitive religious places and crowded public areas, they added.
Intelligence agencies indicated that LeT could be attempting to carry out an Improvised Explosive Device (IED)-based attack. The alleged plan is reportedly linked to attempts by the terror group to avenge the February 6 blast at a mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan, sources said.
Central agencies and Delhi Police units are maintaining close coordination, and surveillance has been intensified through CCTV monitoring, vehicle checks and deployment of additional personnel at vulnerable points. Bomb disposal squads, dog squads and quick reaction teams have also been placed on standby at strategic locations, they added.
The alert comes in the backdrop of the deadly car explosion near the historic Red Fort on November 10, 2025, which killed at least 13 people and injured more than 20 others. The blast occurred when a car loaded with explosives detonated near Gate No 1 of the Red Fort metro station, igniting multiple vehicles nearby and causing panic in the densely populated area.
Security agencies have urged people to remain vigilant and immediately inform police or emergency services about any suspicious objects or activity. However, officials said there is no cause for panic and that the measures are precautionary in nature.
Further intelligence gathering and verification of inputs are underway, an official said.
