Overview
- A screenshot shared widely on July 23 claimed Virat Kohli backed student protests but the message came from an unverified account using the handle @Highonchurma, not Kohli’s official X account.
- Independent checks by The Sunday Guardian Live and the Free Press Journal found no such statement on Kohli’s verified accounts and ruled the viral post false.
- Several sports figures issued genuine responses about the NEET controversy, with Manu Bhaker, Yuvraj Singh and Sachin Tendulkar publicly addressing students’ concerns on their verified platforms.
- The impersonation used a convincing profile image and name, which fact-checkers say shows why users should confirm exact usernames and verification badges before resharing sensitive posts.
- The episode comes during nationwide protests over an alleged NEET paper leak and could heighten tensions if false celebrity attributions continue to spread, so newsrooms and platforms are urging stricter verification and caution.