Actresses recount an evening of horror at Palace Grounds

A stunned Kannada film industry on Monday was still trying to recoup from Sunday's onslaught at the Palace Grounds. About one lakh fans, who had turned up for the platinum jubilee celebrations, went berserk after they were refused entry into an already crowded venue. The organisers watched helplessly as the mob ran riot, smashing cars and assaulting actresses.

"They just came from everywhere. Some of them even tried to pull my clothes. Fortunately, I had people around me who ensured that I was safe," said Rohini Singh, model and daughter of director SV Rajendra Singh Babu.

But many were not as lucky as Rohini. A popular actress' sister, who was at the event, said she was pinched and groped by a group of unruly fans. Another actress Bhavana Rao said, "It was the worst evening ever. Some men got into my car and tried to touch me. I had a male friend who somehow managed to pull me out of the situation. It was a horrifying experience." The green room, set up for the actors near the entrance, was pulled down by the crowd. One actress, who got caught in the crowd, was assaulted. Many actresses skipped their performance and left the venue in a hurry. A few brave ones, however, decided to stay back and perform. "We performed because we love the industry," one actress told DNA.

Kavya Christopher and Sunayana Suresh/ DNA-Daily News & Analysis Source: 3D Syndication