Media covering the wedding of cricketer Harbhajan Singh in Jalandhar was in for a rude shock. Some of the media personnel alleged that bouncers on duty manhandled them, took away and broke their cameras and other equipment.
A case has been registered against unidentified bouncers, Punjab police said on Friday. The incident happened on Thursday evening.
The case were registered after the upset media persons staged a sit-in outside the reception venue in Jalandhar city, demanding immediate arrest of four bouncers.
After the alleged manhandling controversy, Harbhajan came out of the house and apologised on behalf of the bouncers. He pleaded with media, mostly camera persons of TV channels and photographers, to not to pursue the matter further.
The media persons alleged that bouncers manhandled them and took away and broke their cameras and equipment while they were filming the event at the high-profile wedding of Harbhajan Singh with long-time friend and Bollywood actress Geeta Basra.
“We have registered a case following a complaint from the media persons. We are investigating the matter and will take action soon,” a Punjab police officer told the media in Jalandhar.
“We had instructions from Harbhajan that media should not be allowed inside the venue as a lot of VIP guests and celebrities were to arrive,” one of the bouncers claimed.
Batting legend Sachin Tendulkar and his wife Anjali, and founder and chairperson of the Reliance Foundation Nita Ambani, who is also the owner of IPL franchise Mumbai Indians, for whom Harbhajan plays, were among the dignitaries at the wedding.
While Geeta wore a red ‘lehenga’, designed by Archana Kochhar, ‘Bhajji’ adorned sherwani and red turban. Bhajji drove for the wedding in his black Hummer SUV.
Captain of the limited overs Indian team, Mahendra Singh Dhoni was conspicuously absent. But cricketers Parthiv Patel, R.P. Singh and Pragyan Ojha were among those present.
“I am feeling great, very special day of my life,” 35-year-old Harbhajan told reporters.
The wedding reception will be held in a five-star hotel in Delhi. Celebrities from cricket and Bollywood are expected to attend the event.