Recently, veteran Indian singer Sonu Nigam was attacked and manhandled by a Maharashtra-based MLA’s son and supporters over a selfie row. An FIR was registered in the case after the video of the attack and its immediate aftermath surfaced on social media and went viral.
Singer Sonu Nigam and his team were manhandled by Swapnil Phatarpekar, the son of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray wing) MLA Prakash Phatarpekar, at a music event in Chembur. The incident took place after Swapnil insisted on taking a selfie with Nigam, but Nigam’s team did not recognise him. This led to a scuffle as Swapnil and his supporters manhandled Nigam and his team as the singer was leaving the stage.
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
Videos going viral show Sonu’s bodyguard played a crucial role in protecting the singer from an assailant. The bodyguard and staff of the singer acts like a barrier between the attacker and Sonu, taking a harsh push from the man, causing him to fall off the stairs and onto the ground below.
The man continued to pursue Sonu, attempting to grab him. It was at this point that singer Rabbani Khan, son of Sonu Nigam’s guru Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan intervened, and fell seven feet off the stairs and onto the ground below.
#SonuNigam is safe. He is in Zen Hospital, #Chembur where reportedly his friend and bodyguard has been brought for treatment from scuffle/attack..Sonu Nigam reached Chembur police station in Mumbai after a scuffle happened with him during an event pic.twitter.com/dfFbaVTPJS
— Rahul Sisodia (@Sisodia19Rahul) February 20, 2023
#Breaking
— Sameet Thakkar (@thakkar_sameet) February 20, 2023
Singer Sonu Nigam who raised his voice about Azan Loudspeakers attacked by Janab Uddhav Thackeray MLA Prakash Phaterpekar and his goons in music event at Chembur. Sonu has been taken to the hospital nearby. pic.twitter.com/32eIPQtdyM
Sonu Nigam did not sustain injuries, and subsequently raised a complaint at the Chembur police station.