Bangalore: A die-hard fan of Kannada film star Shivraj Kumar exchanged blows with the police when they tried to restrain him from moving on the stage to meet his idol onstage at the Kantirava indoor studio on Monday.
The fan, whose name could not be ascertained, was released only after the superstar, who turned 49 yesterday, pleaded with the police to release him.
Telegu superstar Chiranjeevi was also on the dais when the incident occurred.
As the fan tried to force his way through the police cordon, the cops overpowered him with some difficulty and attempted to carry him to the police station.
However, the crowds at the venue kept growing and police had to bring in reinforcement.
The other fans gathered at the venue raised an alarm in protest and attempted to stop the police from carrying the fan from the venue. Some in the restive crowd began shouting slogans and the atmosphere turned extremely volatile.
The commotion drew Shivraj Kumar's attention. He interrupted the celebrations and asked the policemen what the problem was.
"When Shivraj learnt of the issue, he rushed to the fan's help. He pleaded with the police to let the fan off the hook.
The police considered the fan's request and let him off with a stern warning," said a fan, who was present at the venue.
'We would have taken him into custody and booked him for offending a government servant on duty. He is lucky that Shivraj Kumar came to his rescue," said a police officer posted at Kantirava studio yesterday.
Hundreds of fans cheered and lauded their idol's gesture. Not surprisingly, the policemen bruised in the melee did not look too pleased.
Shivraj Kumar could not be contacted for comment.