Birthday blues for residents as Darshan fans run amok

Fans greet actor Darshan on his birthday on Sunday. DH photo/Irshad Mahammad

Sandalwood actor Darshan’s birthday celebrations turned the weekend into a nightmare for residents at Ideal Homes Layout in Rajajinagar, as thousands of people claiming to be the ‘fans’ of the star created a huge ruckus from late night on Saturday.

Many residents, especially elders, woke up to screams and catcalls around 11 pm. “The disturbance increased as the number of people on the streets multiplied by midnight. There was nobody to control the crowd. Some miscreants jumped the locked gates of houses and went up to the terrace of houses to get a better view,” a resident said.

A member of a residents' welfare association told DH that the nuisance had become the new normal in the area, but children and elders suffer the most.

“I have witnessed the drama first-hand for the past three years. The main problem is caused by drunk members in the gangs who frighten people living in the area. Last night, the noise levels escalated after 2 am. Police personnel caned a few people to control the situation. They left the place around 3 am only to return in the next two hours,” another resident said.

A resident on 12th Cross said that as thousands descended on the area, vacant sites quickly turned into open toilets. “Some miscreants damaged the light on the gate of my neighbour’s house. From the terrace, we could see policemen watching everything like mute spectators. If they can’t control the crowd, why should they give permission,” he asked.

A senior police officer said they received several phone calls but that nobody registered a complaint. “We have only registered a non-cognisable report of damage to vehicles,” he said.

A retired government official in the area said there were crowds in the area till Sunday evening, littering the streets and creating a nuisance. “Many of us could not come out of the house till evening. We spent the weekend worrying that some drunkards might barge in. We don’t blame the actor. But we expect him to understand our situation and move such celebrations to the ground,” she said.

Darshan could not be reached despite repeated efforts till this report went to print.