fariha Bhatti • 10 Nisan 23:25

Indian streamer Manoj “Sentinel” Kashyap has found himself in hot water after referencing the Nirbhaya rape case to threaten viewers on the live stream. 

Cheating controversies in the Indian esports scene have reached a fever pitch following the recent Abhay “Xhade” Urkude ban. The professional player for Paratroops had accepted cheating allegations after Indian pro players coerced on him Livestream. His ban has now put streamer and co-owner of Team Mahi under Riot Games’ scrutiny. 

On his March 27 stream, Sentinel’s viewers kept pestering him about Xhade’s ban since Team Mahi also went up against Paratroops in The Esports Club Invitational, an event in which Xhade allegedly cheated. In response, Team Mahi’s owner reprimanded the viewers who mentioned Xhade’s name, threatening them with sexual abuse worst than the Nirbhaya case, one of India’s most spine chilling rape incidents to date. 

The streamer received backlash as his clip referencing a rape case spread like wildfire in the Valorant community. His comments drew massive public outrage considering his status in the Indian esports scene. Sentinel is the CEO of Indian’s one of most prestigious organizations Team Mahi that hosts a roster in PUBG mobile and Valorant, and has a detailed account in Indian esports scene. 

The Indian Valorant community demanded a severe penalty for Sentinel for making light of a horrific event on a live broadcast. The streamer soon took to YouTube and apologized for the coarse language after taking down the offensive stream. 

“I lost control, my emotions got better of me. The choice of words that I used is a disgrace to me, for which I am truly sorry. I’ve crossed a line, and I’d like to apologize to everyone,” Sentinel said. 

Riot Games reportedly investigating Sentinel’s comments

While his apology was met with a mixed response, reports say that Riot Games has got wind of the situation, and it’s not taking it lightly. According to Hindistan saatleri, the Valorant developer is looking into the issue. 

“We at Riot Games, have a zero tolerance policy against gender discrimination and abuse. We try our best to ensure the best possible player experience and we are aware of incidents that happen within our communities,” the developer said in a statement. 

His insensitive remarks made on a personal YouTube channel are unlikely to impact Team Mahi’s Valorant roster and its standings at professional events. However, Sentinel’s career in esports is currently hanging by a thin thread no matter what verdict Riot Games delivers.

The incident Sentinel mentioned was one of the most horrific rape cases ever recorded in India. The gang-rape of the 23-year physiotherapy student had shaken the entire country in 2012. The victim was dubbed Nirbhaya, meaning the fearless one by the press, as she could not be named under Indian law.