BENGALURU, India, Feb 10: British pop star Ed Sheeran was stopped from busking in the southern Indian city of Bengaluru on Sunday after local police stated that he did not have the necessary permissions.

A video showing a police officer unplugging Sheeran's microphone on Church Street – a busy shopping and entertainment area in Bengaluru – quickly went viral.

Officials informed the ANI news agency that Sheeran's team had requested permission to busk on the street, but the request was denied in order to prevent congestion in the area.

However, Sheeran took to Instagram to clarify, stating: “We had permission to busk, by the way. Hence, us playing in that exact spot was planned out before. It wasn’t just us randomly turning up. All good though. See you at the show tonight.”

The incident occurred just hours before Sheeran’s scheduled concert at NICE Grounds in Bengaluru as part of his Mathematics Tour.

Fans expressed their frustration online, with one critic pointing out, “We live in an uncleocracy. And there's nothing uncles love more than to stop young people from having fun.” This comment referred to the ambiguous rules governing the use of public spaces in India.

Local MP PC Mohan, from the ruling BJP party, responded to the incident by stating, “Even global stars must follow local rules – no permit, no performance!”

Sheeran is currently in India for the second consecutive year on a 15-day tour. He has already performed in Pune, Hyderabad, and Chennai, with upcoming shows scheduled in Shillong in northeastern India and in the capital, Delhi.

During his Bengaluru concert, Sheeran surprised his fans by performing two hit Telugu songs with local singer Shilpa Rao. Last year, Sheeran also collaborated with Indian singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh during a concert in Birmingham.

In addition, while in India, Sheeran worked with sitar musician Megha Rawoot to create a new version of his hit song Shape of You.

India’s demand for live music concerts has surged in recent years, with Sheeran's tour following recent performances by other global stars like Dua Lipa in Mumbai and Coldplay’s multi-city tour. According to a recent Bank of Baroda report, the “concert economy” in India is expected to be worth $700-900 million (£550-730 million), driven by rising disposable incomes and an increasing appetite for live music experiences.