In a shocking incident at a private school in East Midnapore, acclaimed singer Lagnajita Chakraborty was subjected to heckling and physical harassment during a cultural performance on Saturday night. The event took a disturbing turn when a man aggressively approached her on stage, demanding she sing a "secular song." The accused, identified as the school's co-owner Mehboob Mallick, has since been arrested by the police.
The On-Stage Confrontation and Harassment
According to the formal complaint filed by the artiste, the trouble began after she performed ‘Joy Maa’, a popular track from the film ‘Devi Chowdhurani’. Lagnajita stated that this was her seventh song of the evening, and until that moment, the programme had proceeded smoothly. The situation escalated when Mehboob Mallick (47) forcibly climbed onto the stage, came uncomfortably close to her, and declared, "Anek jago maa hoyeche, ebar secular kichhu gaa" (enough of Jago Maa, now sing something secular).
Feeling intimidated and unsafe, Lagnajita immediately apologized to the audience, stepped off the stage, and decided to take legal action. She, along with her band members, drove directly to the Bhagabanpur Police Station to lodge a formal complaint, where she explicitly mentioned an "attempt to assault." The police acted swiftly, tracking down and apprehending Mehboob Mallick within a few hours. He is expected to be produced in court on Monday.
Conflicting Claims and Video Evidence
Following the arrest, Mehboob Mallick's family members presented a counter-narrative. They alleged that the singer was scheduled to begin her performance at 4 pm but started late at 6:30 pm, and further claimed she demanded extra money to sing more songs. Lagnajita Chakraborty has vehemently denied these allegations.
The singer clarified the timeline, stating she began at 7 pm and the incident occurred around 7:45 pm, just after she finished the ‘Devi Chowdhurani’ track. She firmly stated that full payment is typically made to artists before they perform, which was also the case for her. Crucially, Lagnajita pointed out that the entire event was being broadcast on a giant screen, meaning the altercation was likely recorded. She has requested the police to secure the video tapes as evidence.
Police Action and Political Reactions
East Midnapore's acting SP Mitun Kumar Dey confirmed that an FIR has been registered in the case. The incident has also triggered a departmental inquiry against the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Bhagabanpur Police Station, Shahenshah Haque. This probe was initiated due to allegations that the singer and her team were initially discouraged from filing a formal FIR. SP Dey assured that appropriate action would follow if any negligence was found.
The incident quickly drew political reactions. The Trinamool Congress rallied behind the singer, with spokesperson Kunal Ghosh condemning the act as "unwarranted and undesirable." He emphasized that an artiste's performance should not be viewed through the lens of specific beliefs and affirmed Lagnajita's freedom to sing. Meanwhile, BJP leader Shankudeb Panda alleged that the accused, Mehboob Mallick, is an active Trinamool worker—a charge that was dismissed by the local Trinamool block president, Prabin Chandra Mondal, who challenged Panda to provide proof.
