Brand's bodyguards accused of assaulting photographers

Russell Brand's bodyguards assaulted four news photographers when they were taking pictures of the British comedian in an Indian tiger reserve today before his wedding to Katy Perry, the photographers have claimed.

Brand watched the assault, the photographers said.

The photographers were following about 330ft (100m) behind two jeeps - one carrying Brand, a woman who was not Perry, a man and two children, and the other carrying two bodyguards who spoke with British accents.

As the photographers from Associated Press, Reuters, Agence France-Presse and the Hindustan Times newspaper took photographs of Brand, one of the guards came up to their jeep, punched their driver in the face and grabbed the vehicle's keys, AP photographer Mustafa Quraishi said.

Quraishi said he jumped out of the jeep to try to retrieve the keys, but the bodyguard punched him repeatedly, breaking his glasses, smashing and then taking his camera flash and opening up a cut on his arm.

Two other photographers came to Quraishi's assistance, he said, but the other guard began hitting them, causing one to bleed from the head.

The guards then drove away, leaving the photographers stranded in the Ranthambhore National Park, which is home to tigers, leopards, wild boars, hyenas and sloth bears, Quraishi said.

Park rangers later retrieved the keys from the guards' driver.

Brand and American pop singer Perry are scheduled to get married tomorrow at a resort near the reserve in the Indian state of Rajasthan.

Private security has been stationed at the hotels where guests and the couple are staying.

The couple have given the exclusive coverage rights to a London magazine, and no other photographers or journalists will be allowed into the resort.

Brand, 35, was arrested at a Los Angeles airport on September 17 for allegedly assaulting a paparazzi. He was later released on $20,000 (€14,357) bail. The case is pending.

Perry's second album, 'Teenage Dream', was one of this year's best-selling debuts.

Brand is next set to star as Trinculo in a version of 'The Tempest' and the title character in a remake of 'Arthur'.