Singer Somlata accuses misbehaviour at function, organisers

Popular singer Somlata Acharyya Chowdhury has alleged harassment at a function organised by a school in Jalpaiguri district.

She also accused one of the teaches of the school at Dhupguri of instigating the audience to allow her to leave but not her team members because of "poor" sound quality.

The organisers denied the charges.

The police who helped her and her team members leave Dhupguri for Siliguri said she did not lodge any complaint.

Acharyya came on Facebook live on Saturday night and alleged that one of the teachers was instigating a 15,000 strong audience during her solo show on Friday to mark the golden jubilee celebrations of the secondary school.

The singer admitted that those in the rear end of the venue could not hear the rendition properly due to sound problem, but the problem could be fixed to a large extent by her team.

Naming one teacher, she said, "The programme was going on smoothly but this particular man, who was looking intoxicated, was constantly moving on the stage, blocking our drummer and even once asked for my mike during performance.

"To cap it all he openly asked the crowd to allow the singer to leave after the show but not the rest of her team who should be asked to explain why the sound failed during her show," Acharyya, who has cut popular single albums like 'Mor Bhabonare' and 'Aabdaar' and lent voice as playback singer in over 30 Bengali films, claimed.

Stating that the policemen present at the spot and a section of organisers helped them leave the venue at 10:45 pm, reach the hotel and rush to Siliguri in two cars in the quickest possible time, she thanked the cops.

"Police may not be so active or apprised of the situation every time. Our safety is in our hands," she said and recalled the experience of another singer Mekhla Dasgupta at a function another district last November "where she was harassed for not singing tracks of their choice."