MUMBAI, Feb 21: Noted playback singer Sonu Nigam and his two colleagues were pushed allegedly by the son of an MLA during a scuffle over taking a selfie with the singer at a musical event in Mumbai, police said on Tuesday.
After the incident on Monday night, Nigam filed a complaint based on which the Chembur police registered an FIR against Swapnil Phaterpekar, the son of local Shiv Sena MLA Prakash Phaterpekar, under Indian Penal Code Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint), and 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), an official said.
The 49-year-old singer, a Padma Shri awardee whose memorable chartbusters include ‘Yeh Dil Deewana’, ‘Kal Ho Na Ho’, ‘Saathiya’, and ‘Abhi Mujh Mein Kahin’, later told reporters that he filed a police complaint to bring to light such unfortunate incidents, which can turn tragic, and to raise awareness about what happens when someone is coerced into taking a picture.
A colleague of Nigam was injured in the incident which took place at Chembur Gymkhana after the singer’s live performance at Chembur Festival, an official said.
A short video clip of the incident went viral on social media platforms in which Nigam and his colleagues were seen leaving the stage after the performance when a man (identified as Swapnil Phaterpekar) came from behind and caught hold of the singer, apparently to take a selfie with him.
After filing the police complaint in the early hours of Tuesday, Nigam, regarded as one of the most versatile voices in the Indian film industry, spoke to reporters gathered outside the police station.
He said after performing at the event, he was getting down from the stage when a man came from the back side and caught hold of him.
“(Nigam’s colleague) Hari Prakash came to save me, but he was also pushed due to which he fell, that you can see in the video also,” the singer said.
“I also fell on the steps after I was pushed. Rabbani (Nigam’s colleague and son of Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan) came to help me and he too was pushed. God forbid, if something would have been there, he could have died. I filed a complaint because people must think about it when they force someone to take a selfie,” the singer told reporters.
Rabbani Khan, too, fell down, as per Nigam’s complaint.
The support staff present near the stage then came forward and stopped the accused, an official from Chembur police station said.
Khan, who received injuries, was taken to a private hospital in Chembur, he said.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Hemrajsingh Rajput also said the incident took place when Nigam was getting down from the stage after the live performance at the Chembur Festival.
A man came from the back side and caught hold of Nigam, following which two of singer’s colleagues tried to take the man aside, but he pushed both of them from steps of the stage, he said.
After Nigam was pushed, he also fell on the steps, but he managed to get up and balance himself, he said.
A colleague of Nigam was injured in the incident. After preliminary treatment at a hospital, the colleague came to the police station along with Nigam as there was no need of hospitalising him, the official said.
When some reporters asked about claims that Nigam was attacked, Rajput said, “Only one person is named in the FIR. The way things are being projected in social media, there is nothing like that. This was a plain incident of catching hold of the singer after the performance. The intention behind this could be to take a photograph with the singer…Police will investigate the matter. So far, nothing like this has come to light in Nigam’s statement.”
Based on the complaint of Nigam, an FIR was registered against the accused person, the DCP said.
Accused Swapnil Phaterpekar’s sister in a tweet said on behalf of the organisers, they have officially apologised to Nigam and his team for the unpleasant incident.
She said while Nigam was being hurriedly ushered off the stage after delivering his performance, her brother was trying to take a selfie with the singer.
“Due to the rush & furore, there was a commotion that ensued,” she tweeted. (PTI)
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