Puttur: Spat between Sanya Iyer and youth at Kambala event goes viral on social media

Team Udayavani, Jan 31, 2023, 5:19 PM IST

Puttur: A video of an altercation between Big Boss Season 9 contestant Sanya Iyer and a youth has gone viral on social media.

Sanya had been invited as a guest at the Koti-Chennaiyya Jodukere Kambala held at Puttur on January 28. She had arrived at the venue along with a few of her friends.

Seeing Sanya a youth reportedly attempted to take a selfie with her. It is alleged that the youth misbehaved with Sanya and her friends. Angered by this, Sanya is said to have slapped the man who it is alleged retaliated in return.

Depressed over this, Sanya spoke to the event organizer and a chaotic situation prevailed at the stage for some time. The situation was brought under control following the intervention of locals.

No case has been registered in this regard.

Sanya issues clarification

Following the visuals of the altercation going viral, Sanya issued a clarification saying that it was a natural reaction to “harassment” of a woman by an “inebriated” youth.

Speaking to the media, she said that she had been invited as a guest for the Puttur Koti-Chennayya Kambala. She along with her friends, had returned to the Kambala venue at night time after finishing a meeting to watch the Kambala races. On their way back an “inebriated” youth misbehaved with one of her friends and fled in no time. People nearby gathered hearing the ruckus. “The organisers took us to the stage where I expressed my anger against the treatment meted out to a woman. This is just a natural reaction in such situation,” she added.

Further Sanya clarified that neither did she slap anyone nor was slapped by anyone. “I have not slapped anyone at Puttur Kambala Koota, no one has slapped me. I don’t know how this kind of news spread,” she said and added that police complaint was not filed as the identity of the youth who “harassed” them could not be ascertained in the crowd.

She said that Kambala organisers were courteous and took good care of the guests. “They (the organisers) didn’t know that we were coming back to Kambala. Had we informed them earlier, they would have taken safety precautions,” she added.

Sanya praised the organisers for the way they handled the situation and added that the reputation of Kambala tradition will not be affected by the behaviour of “someone who was intoxicated.”