Stroll down the promenades of Marine Drive or Carter Road any given day and, aside from the throngs of pleasure-seekers soaking up the beauty of the sea, there are those who purely there to exhibit the self. Mumbai’s street performers are many, ranging from hip-hop artists to guitarists and the “golden man” statues. Unconcerned about who is watching, these artistes give free rein to their preferred form of expression, drawing in amused and delighted crowds.

However, a rather disturbing incident that occurred this Monday is created a flutter in social media spaces. Mumbai’s “Goldy Statue”, aka Taukir Alam, was manhandled by police at 8 pm at Bandstand, without any provocation he says. The video shows a policeman dragging Alam by the scruff of his throat, even as the crowd intervened and tried to push the policeman away.