April 23, 2007	Monday	Rabi-us-Sani 05, 1428

MUMBAI, April 22: Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan apologised to Indian journalists on Sunday after several photographers were beaten by gun-toting guards for trying to take pictures of his newly married son and his bride.

The guards kicked and punched the photographers to clear the way for a car carrying actor Abhishek Bachchan and his new wife, former Miss World Aishwarya Rai, to a post-wedding ritual on Saturday. At least one journalist had to be taken to a hospital where he was released after first aid.

“I am sorry and I apologise with folded hands if the media had trouble because of our security,” Bachchan told reporters outside his home in Mumbai. He said the security guards belonged to a politician invited to the wedding, and were not part of his own security team.

Despite the Indian media’s intense interest at the wedding, the Bachchans chose to keep the celebrations private. Hundreds of fans jostled with photographers and reporters on the streets outside the Bachchan residence during the wedding ceremony on Friday.—Reuters