Caught on camera: Photographers thrashed by Mumbai hotel bouncers

In a shocking incident, Bandra's Bastian hotel security guards got involved in a scuffle with media photographers who were present there to click actress Shilpa Shetty and her husband Raj Kundra. Watch video

The journalist who was attacked by the hotel bouncers

On late Thursday night, the paparazzi photographers were doing their usual chore, little did they know that they were to witness their life's nightmare.

As soon as the paparazzi learnt about Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty Kundra dining with husband Raj Kundra at Bastian hotel in Bandra, they rushed to get a click of them.

Post getting the desired pictures of the couple, the shutterbugs were moving on with their work when the hotel's security guards pounced upon photographers Robin Chawla and Himanshu Shinde.

An FIR under section 324 and 34 was registered at Khar police station.

Hotel bouncers get into a scuffle with photographers 

Talking about the shocking incident, a source informs mid-day saying, "While the photographers were waiting for Shilpa Shetty to make an exit from the restaurant, the bouncers verbally kept poking them and interfered in their work. They kept pestering them not to stand outside the hotel."

"Everything was fine until the celebrities left the venue. As soon as they made their exit, the security guards attacked Robin and Himanshu. They have brutally attacked them," the source adds.

Also see: Photos: Shilpa Shetty and husband Raj Kundra's dinner date

On questioning the source, if this was the sole reason or is there anything more to the matter, the source added, "Bastian security guards have not been very fond of the paparazzis, or the media overall. Whenever media gathered outside their hotel, they always had a verbal fight over not standing in front of the hotel. So, maybe this could be a collective anger thrown on them yesterday."

However, when victims Robin and Himanshu tried contacting the police helpline number 100, their calls went unanswered.

Hotel bouncers beat up photographers

Prior to the case's registration, the bouncers along with the photographers were taken for a test, to check if their body had any alcoholic content.

Giving us some more insights about this incident, our source further added, "Photographer Robin Chawla, who was bleeding profusely, was then, along with Himanshu Shinde taken to the nearest Bhabha Hospital, where they got the bandage done and left for their homes immediately. This case has become very big, as the DCP and everyone have got involved in it."

On contacting victim Robin Chawla, he told mid-day, "I have received two stitches on my forehead. And I'm doing completely fine right now."

Bastian hotel's owner issued a statement that read, "We're saddened and shocked by the incident that took place outside Bastian last night. We have celebrities and well known guests visiting us frequently, and every experience has so far been smooth. During last night's incident, the people involved were bouncers and security who are hired for Bastian via external vendors - as is the practice, the security services agency assigns their personnel to us and other establishments based on who is available that day. All the Bastian staff, as well as the management, was inside in the restaurant on the second floor at the time of the incident - we were made aware of the same a while after it began. This was a highly unfortunate situation that escalated beyond anything we could have imagined. As soon as the Bastian team found out, we took remedial measures to get things under control. We are changing security agencies today as we do not want to take the risk of this happening again, as well as personally apologising to the media involved. We are also collecting all information so that we are able to offer to take care of any and all medical bills that may have resulted due to this incident."

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