India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh on Thursday clarified that he did not hit or slap a cameraman, as was reported in sections of the media on Wednesday.
"The cameraman is seen running towards me and the intensity and pace with which his camera clearly hits my head and it was not like just a touch, it hit me hard on my head and patka. I am very particular of being touched and hit at my head or my patka and sure a million other would be too. As a prompt reflex, not even knowing what hit my head, I pushed the object, realizing it, after I pushed it, that it was a camera," Harbhajan wrote on his blog bhajji.bigadda.com.
"There was a clear security cover around me. The cameraman breached that cover. The CISF guard and official is seen asking the camera guy to step back as they saw him being at fault of hitting my head with his camera and crossing the security cover.
"At no stage did I hit or slap the camerman. Neither will I ever do," he added.
Rediff.com had, along with video evidence of the incident at the Bangalore Airport as the Indian team was leaving for Sri Lanka, reported on Wednesday that Harbhajan had merely pushed the camera and not hit the cameraman.
Harbhajan took the opportunity to point out that television cameramen, in their bid for exclusive footage, end up "hitting" people many a time.
"Our friends from the media are at most times in a rush and hush for stories, deadlines and footages, especially our cameraman friends. It's often seen, the edges of their camera hitting various people at varied times, be it airport, press meets almost all the places. Am sure, a number of people would testify this."
