Ed Sheeran took to a busy street in southern India this weekend to surprise fans with a live performance but police soon swooped and pulled the plug on the British singer, saying he hadn’t received permission.

The singer/songwriter had taken to the Bengaluru city streets to perform when police brought his show to close

Sheeran is currently on the India leg of his Mathematics Tour, and has performed in Pune, Hyderabad, and Chennai. In Chennai, Sheeran was joined on stage by the renowned Indian composer AR Rahman, where the two performed Rahman’s 1994 Tamil song “Urvasi” from the soundtrack of Kadhalan.

Ed Sheeran's street performance in Bengaluru was halted by police due to lack of event permission. The incident triggered reactions on social media, with Deputy Commissioner Shekar T Tekkannanavar explaining the decision was based on the area’s crowding issues.

A street performance by Ed Sheeran in India's tech capital of Bengaluru was stopped abruptly by police on Sunday, outraging fans and prompting the British singer to issue a clarification.

Ed Sheeran’s impromptu street performance in Bengaluru, India, was stopped by local police on Sunday. The singer decided to busk on the city’s Church Street ahead of his concert, but police officers literally pulled the plug, saying Sheeran didn’t have proper permission.

Bengaluru police halt Ed Sheeran’s street performance; singer confirms prior permission through Instagram response.

Ed Sheeran was recently stopped by police from performing on the street in the southern Indian city of Bengaluru, with authorities claiming he didn't have the necessary permission to do so.