Taking selfies with celebrities sometimes ends up on a bad note. Something similar happened with star singer Sonu Nigam. Nigam was reportedly manhandled by Chembur MLA Prakash Phaterpekar's son Swapnil Phaterpekar over clicking a selfie. The singer was in Chembur, Mumbai, to perform at a music event when the incident took place.
Nigam and his close associates were pushed by Swapnil's supporters from the stairs. The singer didn't take incident lightly and filed a police complaint against Swapnil.
Sonu Nigam records his statement at Chembur police station regarding the incident that took place at his live concert @SonuNigamForum @SonuNigamSpace @Real_SonuNigam #sonunigam #SonuNigam pic.twitter.com/lRdl8gctFD
— Surya V Ravane (@SuryaRavane) February 21, 2023
What happened? Based on a preliminary inquiry done by the police, it was reported that the the brawl took place, when Swapnil went to take a selfie with Sonu Nigam. Nigam's team didn't recognise him and pushed him aside, which lead to a scuffle between Swapnil's supporters and Nigam's team.
A video which is doing the rounds on internet also shows a man falling down from the stairs. The man is Nigam's aide Rabbani Khan. It was reported that Rabbani suffered injuries and was immediately rushed to the Zen Hospital in Chembur.
Sonu speaks: Talking to news agency ANI, after the incident, Sonu Nigam said that the accused Swapnil tried to hold him as he was coming down from the stage. "After the concert, I was coming down from the stage when a man, Swapnil Prakash Phaterpaker, held me. He then pushed Hari and Rabbani who came to save me. Then, I fell on the steps. I filed a complaint so that people would think about forcefully taking selfies and causing selfies," ANI quoted Sonu as saying.
After the concert, I was coming down from stage when a man Swapnil Prakash Phaterpekar held me. Then he pushed Hari & Rabbani who came to save me. Then I fell on steps. I filed a complaint so that people should think about forcefully taking selfies & causing scuffle: Sonu Nigam https://t.co/RVFONXeQ79 pic.twitter.com/JxtfCVIaQj
— ANI (@ANI) February 20, 2023
Police complaint filed: Sonu Nigam, with his team, reached the Chembur police station and lodged a complaint against Swapnil Phaterpaker. Swapnil has been booked under IPC sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 337( causing hurt by endangering life or personal safety of others) and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt).
Deliberate act? Many users on Twitter called the incident a deliberate attack by Uddhav Thackeray's party Shiv Sena (UBT)'s MLA's son Swapnil Phaterpekar on Sonu Nigam.
Users were quick to link this incident with the Azan row of Sonu Nigam, where, few years back, Nigam had called the use of loudspeaker in mosques as "gunda-gardi:.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala, called it an attack by Uddhav Thackeray's MLA on Sonu Nigam. He called the party has Gundon Ki Sena (Party of goons).
Famous singer #SonuNigam reportedly attacked by #UddhavThackeray‘s MLA Prakash Phaterpekar’s son and his men ! THIS HAS BECOME A GUNDON KI SENA
— Shehzad Jai Hind (@Shehzad_Ind) February 21, 2023
Not the first time such an incident has come to the fore! Earlier a veteran was beaten up!
SHAMEFUL ! Will UT faction condemn it? pic.twitter.com/e5YxPbFSam
No arrests have been made so far in the case.