Sita Ramam fame Ashwath Bhatt attacked by robber in Turkey: ‘People think Turkey is all romantic, but...’

Sita Ramam fame Ashwath Bhatt, who is currently on a short vacation in Istanbul, said he was assaulted by robbers while walking towards the popular tourist location, Galata Tower, in the Beyoglu district.

The Bollywood actor known for his performances in films like IB71, Raazi, Sita Ramam, Haider, and Mission Majnu among others, said despite warnings about pickpockets in Istanbul, he did not expect such a shocking encounter in the country.

Sharing details about the harrowing incident, Ashwath Bhatt was quoted by ETimes as saying, “I was walking towards Galata Tower when a man approached me. He had a chain in his hand, and before I could fully comprehend what was happening, he hit me on the back with it. In retrospect, it was likely a gang working in tandem, trying to snatch my bag... for a second, I was so shocked - what’s happening? But I think they weren’t expecting me to resist and put up a fight. While he was trying to snatch my bag, a cab driver stopped and intervened. The robber said something in Turkish and then fled. The cab driver saw my wound and immediately told me to go to the police.”

Adding that he was warned about pickpockets in Turkey but didn't expect such a frightening encounter, Bhatt said, “It’s unfortunate that such a thing happened, especially in such a touristy area. People often advise not to get involved and not to report to the police. That word 'unnecessary' troubles me. People watch films and think Turkey is all romantic, but if we don’t report crime, these incidents will only increase. Everybody warned me about pickpockets, but this was beyond anything I had imagined. I’ve been to the Middle East, Egypt, and so many parts of Europe, and nothing like this has ever happened to me.”

Ashwath stated that when he approached a patrol car, the officers asked him to report the incident to the tourist police, and he was directed to a police station. As per the report, a complaint is yet to be registered in the case.

The Bollywood actor said a complaint has yet to be registered in the case, as when he approached a patrol car, the officer advised him to report the incident to the tourist police, and they (tourist police) further directed him to a police station.