Bengaluru: British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran was interrupted by a Bengaluru policeman during an impromptu surprise street performance on Church Street on Sunday. The unexpected moment occurred when the policeman, unaware of Sheeran’s identity, approached the singer and unplugged his equipment, halting the performance.

In another video the singer, Sheeran clarified to his fans that the interruption was not due to a lack of permission. “We have the permission to be here, but this policeman is shutting it down. I will see you later,” he said, addressing the fans gathered around him. The incident quickly spread on social media, with many users criticising the actions of the police, calling the situation “sad.”

This is not the first time Sheeran has surprised his Indian fans. Earlier, he shared a video in which he played his hit song "Shape of You" on the sitar, a traditional Indian instrument. In the video, Sheeran is seen performing alongside sitar player Megha Rawoot, who is helping him learn the instrument. "Played sitar today for the first time, had a great teacher @megharawoot," Sheeran wrote in his post, expressing his appreciation for his new musical venture.

Sheeran, known for popular hits like "Perfect Duet," "Thinking Out Loud," and "Shivers," is currently on the Indian leg of his Mathematics (+-=÷x) Tour. The tour began on January 30 in Pune, followed by performances in Hyderabad and Chennai.

After his performance in Bengaluru, Sheeran will head to Shillong for a concert scheduled for February 12, before concluding his tour with a show in the Delhi-NCR area on February 15.