Pyrotechnician alleges she was molested at Bengaluru pub on New Year’s Eve | Bengaluru News

Bengaluru: A 36-year-old pyrotechnician has accused a customer of molesting her on New Year’s Eve during her performance at a pub on Old Airport Road off Indiranagar. She also alleged that the establishment’s staff and bouncers were slow to respond to the incident.The incident occurred on the second floor of the pub around 10.15pm. The performer said a customer in his mid-30s, Nagaraju, allegedly smacked her bottom as she was walking towards the stage. Her friend, who witnessed the inappropriate touch, confronted the man and slapped him. The pyrotechnician also hit him, and the two women tried to restrain him as he attempted to flee. “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. We chased him and caught him on the stairway. I used my dipped dragon staff (a form of fire staff) to restrain him,” the pyrotechnician alleged. She claimed that the bouncers and the pub manager arrived after a considerable delay. “We insisted on action, but the management tried to settle the issue with just an apology from him. The management’s response was terrible.” The suspect was taken to Jeevan Bhima Nagar police station after nearly two hours, and the two women also went there to lodge a complaint. “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 said. The pyrotechnician alleged that the suspect, who sustained injuries during the scuffle, called his advocate and filed a counter-complaint against them. “After spending almost four hours at the station, we realised the legal process would involve repeated visits to the police station and court. Since we are not from Karnataka, we decided not to pursue an FIR. However, police took our complaint,” she added.On the pub management, she continued: “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. I want an apology from the pub management. They are yet to make the payment for our performance.”It was accidental: PubResponding to her allegations, the pub manager said the incident appeared to be accidental based on CCTV footage. “There were around 1,100 people in the pub that day. The fire artists performed on the rooftop and the fourth floor before coming to the second floor. Bouncers were deployed, but they got busy with other duties. One of our staffers was guiding the artists. After the incident, our bouncers and staff attended immediately. We called police and handed over the suspect. Everything is recorded on CCTV,” he said. The manager added that the pub tried to resolve the issue. “Instead, the artists went on social media and made negative comments about our pub. We are still trying to resolve the matter.”