A 36-year-old female pyrotechnician has filed a serious complaint, alleging she was molested by a customer during her New Year's Eve performance at a pub located on Old Airport Road, near Indiranagar in Bengaluru. The artist has accused the establishment's staff and security personnel of failing to act promptly during the distressing incident.
Details of the New Year's Eve Incident
The alleged assault took place around 10:15 PM on December 31 on the pub's second floor. According to the performer, a customer identified as Nagaraju, who is in his mid-30s, smacked her bottom as she was walking towards the stage. A friend accompanying the artist witnessed the act and immediately confronted the man, slapping him. The pyrotechnician also hit him, and together the two women tried to prevent him from escaping.
"His friend tried to intimidate us. We were calling out for the bouncers, but no one came to help us for a long time. The perpetrator managed to slip away," the woman stated. She recounted how they chased and caught him on the stairway, where she used her dipped dragon staff (a fire performance prop) to restrain him. She claimed that the pub's bouncers and manager arrived only after a considerable delay.
Alleged Inaction and Police Station Ordeal
The performer alleged that the pub management attempted a quick resolution. "We insisted on action, but the management tried to settle the issue with just an apology from him. The management's response was terrible," she said. The suspect was eventually taken to the Jeevan Bhima Nagar police station nearly two hours after the incident, where the women went to lodge a formal complaint.
Their experience at the police station was described as challenging. "We were still in our performing costumes. Police kept asking me to wear a jacket, but I did not have one. They asked me to write my complaint in the local language. When I said I did not know it, one of the policemen wrote it for me," she explained. Further complicating matters, the suspect, who sustained injuries during the scuffle, contacted his lawyer and filed a counter-complaint against the women.
Faced with a protracted legal process, the women, who are not from Karnataka, decided against pursuing a formal FIR. "After spending almost four hours at the station, we realised the legal process would involve repeated visits to the police station and court... we decided not to pursue an FIR. However, police took our complaint," she added.
Conflicting Narratives and Aftermath
The pyrotechnician directed strong criticism at the pub management, demanding an apology and highlighting that her performance fee was still pending. "They should ensure that bouncers come to our aid immediately. Even at the police station, the manager insisted on a compromise by apologising on behalf of the perpetrator," she said.
In response, the pub manager presented a different version, calling the incident "accidental" based on CCTV footage. He stated that with around 1,100 people in the pub that night, bouncers were deployed but got busy with other duties. "After the incident, our bouncers and staff attended immediately. We called police and handed over the suspect. Everything is recorded on CCTV," the manager asserted. He also expressed disappointment that the artists took the issue to social media with negative comments while the pub was still trying to resolve the matter.
