West Bengal: Singer alleges harassment by policemen at musical programme

Mekhla Dasgupta, a West Bengal-based playback singer who shot to fame after participating in a reality TV show ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’, has alleged that police constables and civic volunteers harassed her when she was performing at a cultural function in West Midnapore. The incident took place on November 10.

Narrating her ordeal on Facebook, Mekhla Dasgupta said that she felt unsafe at the programme, which was organized by Danton police station in the Midnapore district and had to be escorted out by the sponsors.

She also apologized to her followers for going live on social media “unannounced”. “I have gone live without announcing, because I am in great danger. I am returning now, but with great risk to my life… I am not sure if I will be able to return home safely,” she said.

However, a day after i.e on November 11, she went live on Facebook again and alleged that a section of policemen started creating problem when she began her programme.

“When I began the first song, I heard a group of men screaming, ‘this won’t do, sing dance songs’. So I changed and sang a few fast-paced tracks. I think a lot of them were a little drunk,” Dasgupta said. She also claimed that one of the organisers had asked her to move to the left part of the stage as “respected police officers were sitting there”.

“There were constables and some mid-ranking police officers and their demands were not only should I sing peppy numbers, I should go near them to make them dance,” she added. The singer, who is in her early 20s, went on to add that the riled officers hurled abuses at her when she refused to oblige.

In the meantime, a police officer on the condition of anonymity, confirmed that the crowd had requested the singer to belch out dance numbers. “As she did not pay heed to every request from the audience, an argument broke out between her and a section of the crowd,” he said.

It is to be noted that Mekhla has lent her voice for songs in Bengali films like ‘Dekh Kemon Lage’ and ‘Baje Bina.’

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