Ed Sheeran’s Bengaluru street performance cut short by Police, sparks social media outrage
Bengaluru: British singer Ed Sheeran's impromptu performance on Church Street was halted by Bengaluru Police on Sunday due to a lack of permits, leading to widespread discussion on social media.
Sheeran, who is in Bengaluru for his scheduled concerts, surprised fans with an unannounced street performance. As a crowd gathered, police intervened and stopped the event, with an officer seen unplugging the microphone in a now-viral video. The move has sparked debate online, with many questioning the authorities' response.
However, known DJ and presenter Nikhil Chinappa defended the police action, stating that they had not been informed or asked for permission. He noted that if Sheeran had been mobbed or injured in the rush of fans, it could have led to an international incident. "Sorry lads, the cops were right on this one. Perhaps it could’ve been dealt with differently for optics, but they were right to stop him," he said.
Despite the interruption, Sheeran's brief performance generated excitement among fans. The singer is set to perform at NICE Grounds, marking his debut live concert in the city. As part of his India tour, he will also perform in Pune, Shillong, and Delhi NCR.
Sheeran has expressed his fondness for Indian audiences, recalling how he realised the popularity of his music in the country during his 2015 visit.
This is just abysmal and embarrassing ! Bengaluru cops pull the plug & stop @edsheeran while he was performing live on church Street. His team claims the performance was to last only a few minutes & permission was also taken, cops deny this claim. #BrandBengaluru #EdSheeran. pic.twitter.com/IBMrYiQUxg
— Deepak Bopanna (@dpkBopanna) February 9, 2025
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RCB beat MI by 18 runs after batters fire
Mumbai (PTI): Royal Challengers Bengaluru skipper Rajat Patidar, Phil Salt and Virat Kohli blasted half-centuries as the defending champions beat Mumbai Indians by 18 runs in an Indian Premier League match here on Sunday.
Salt (78 off 36 balls) and Kohli (50 off 38 balls) stitched together a 120-run stand for the opening wicket before Patidar scored a rapid 53 off just 20 balls as RCB posted 240 for 4.
In response, Mumbai Indians were restricted to 222 for 5, with RCB spinner Suyash Sharma (2/47) putting the skids on the home side with a double strike in the eighth over, from which they could not recover.
Sherfane Rutherford top-scored for MI with an unbeaten 71 off 31 balls.
While opener Rohit Sharma appeared to be struggling with a hamstring issue and had to retire hurt on 19, his partner Ryan Rickelton made 37, while Suryakumar Yadav (33) and Hardik Pandya (40) were the other contributors for MI.
Brief scores:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru 240 for 4 in 20 overs (Phil Salt 78, Virat Kohli 50, Rajat Patidar 53, Tim David 35 not out).
Mumbai Indians: 222 for 5 in 20 overs (Sherfane Rutherford 71 not out, Ryan Rickelton 37, Hardik Pandya 40; Suyash Sharma 2/47).
