Russell Brand bodyguards accused of attacking news photographers during India wedding weekend

Looks as if a couple of Russell Brand's bodyguards may have decided the comic and bride-to-be Katy Perry really should get to choose their own wedding photographers.

With Brand and his safari party looking on Friday in an Indian tiger reserve near the resort where he and Perry will be married this weekend, two bodyguards allegedly approached a jeep carrying four news photographers — not paparazzi — about 100 yards back. It went downhill from there.

Associated Press photog Mustafa Quraishi said one guard punched their driver in the face and took the keys to the vehicle, then broke and took Qurashi's camera flash and punched him repeatedly him when he jumped out to try to get the keys back. The other bodyguard hit two other photographers who tried to help, Quraishi said.

The four — from Associated Press, Reuters, Agence France Presse and the Hindustan Times — were left stranded in Ranthambore National Park. Park rangers later retrieved the keys from the guards' driver and came to the aid of the bloodied news folks. 

Perry wasn't there for the brouhaha. She and Brand have sold exclusive rights to their wedding pics to a London magazine, and no other reporters or photographers will be allowed on the Taj Rambagh Palace property during the six-day event in Jaipur, India.

"The overseas security is fiercely guarding the fort and is showing no mercy to anyone, and the police are supporting them completely,"  a local source told E! Online. All cameras not belonging to invited guests are reportedly being confiscated.

"Greatest gift u can give us is respect & ♥ during this private X. No use wasting ur X w/ STOLEN or FALSE info. Thnku for this," Perry said via Twitter on Tuesday.

— Christie D'Zurilla

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Photo: Russell Brand walks out of Ranthambore Fort after taking a tiger safari on Oct. 22 in Ranthambore, India. Credit: Simon de Trey-White / Getty Images.

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Comments

[Jeff Morelock]

Licensed and professionally trained bodyguards (actually called executive protection and close protection specialists) don't attack people. They don't get thier clients sued because they make every effort to deescalate situations or avoid them all together.

If celebs or the people who do their hiring would check take the time to check their state's licensing board's website, they will get much better protection and avoid tons of lawsuits.