Television actress Simran Budharup, known for her role in the hit show Pandya Store, recently recounted a distressing incident that occurred during her visit to the famous Lalbaugcha Raja pandal in Mumbai. Simran had gone to the pandal with her mother to seek blessings, but their visit took a troubling turn.In an Instagram post, Simran described how the situation escalated during their darshan. While they were in line, her mother started recording the moment with her phone. A staff member then forcibly took the phone from her mother, and when Simran’s mother attempted to retrieve it, she was pushed away. Simran reported that they were "rough-handled" during the confrontation. She also shared a video on Instagram showing her struggling with a female bouncer as her mother tried to intervene.
Expressing disappointment, Simran wrote, "Really disheartening experience at Lalbagh Cha Raja Darshan. Today, I visited Lalbagh Cha Raja with my mother to seek blessings, but our experience was marred by the unacceptable behavior of the staff. A man from the organisation snatched my mother’s phone while she was clicking the picture (she was in the queue behind me not that she was taking any extra time as it was my turn for the darshan), and when she tried to retrieve it, he pushed her. I intervened, and the bouncers rough-handled me, when I started recording this behavior of them they tried snatching my phone too (it’s In this video where I am yelling 'Mat Karo! Kya Kar Rahe ho aap)'. It was only when they discovered I’m an actor that they backed off."
"People visit such places with good intentions, seeking positivity and blessings. Instead, we were met with aggression and disrespect. I understand that managing crowds is challenging, but it’s the staff’s responsibility to maintain order without misbehaving or harming devotees. I’m sharing this to bring attention to the issue and hope it serves as a wake-up call for event organizers and staff to treat visitors with dignity and respect. Let’s work together to create a safer, more positive environment for everyone," Simran concluded.