Sports stars are always under the public view and, in India, cricketers are given an iconic status in the society. Which is perhaps why what they do in their personal lives also matters to people.
And this is why the viral videos of celebratory firing at Ravindra Jadeja’s much-talked about wedding has shocked people.
In the videos, Jadeja can be seen comfortably marching ahead on a horse during his wedding procession in Gujarat’s Rajkot on Sunday even as someone is firing celebratory gunshots in the air. Jadeja does not appear to be bothered in the least.
Watch the video here:
#WATCH: Celebratory firing during Cricketer Ravindra Jadeja’s wedding procession in Rajkot (Gujarat)https://t.co/GgsIzfCDkn
— ANI (@ANI_news) April 17, 2016
Somebody must have complained to the police because they arrived on the scene shortly afterwards.
Mahendra Singh Rana, PSI of the Lodhika Police Station, told IBN 7, “We got the message from our control room. We are checking the footage. Even if shots are fired from a licensed weapon, it can be done only in self-defence. The offence, if proved, can lead to a jail sentence of 3 years.”
This has also not gone down well with the public because celebratory firings in many parts of India, particularly Uttar Pradesh, have claimed innocent lives.
@ANI_news Not good. Public personality shouldn’t support such wrong practices.
— soubhagya deep (@SDeep78) April 17, 2016
Recently, the cricketer also faced strong reactions after his viral video of brandishing a sword at his sangeet ceremony in Rajkot went viral.
Cricketer Ravindra Jadeja seen brandishing sword during his Sangeet ceremony in Rajkot Gujarat, last nighthttps://t.co/Nqr6CAGS3x
— ANI (@ANI_news) April 17, 2016
Earlier, MS Dhoni had faced criticism in 2008 for a goat slaughtering ritual to celebrate India’s win in a tournament.