Video taken by onlookers showed the moment a police officer unplugged his microphone. Officials told the ANI news agency that a request from Sheeran's team to busk was rejected to avoid congestion in the area.

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.

British pop star Ed Sheeran was stopped from busking in the southern Indian city of Bengaluru on Sunday, with police saying he didn't have the necessary permissions. A video showing a local police officer unplugging Sheeran's microphone on Bengaluru's Church Street - a crowded shopping and entertainment area - has since gone viral.

Social media videos taken of the singer show him playing his guitar on the street in India when a police officer stops him and unplugs his mic.