MUMBAI: Metallica's maiden concert in India which got postponed to Saturday due to technical reasons has been cancelled.

The Nine-time Grammy award winner made the announcement on their official website. We arrived in Delhi on Friday very excited and ready to play our first show ever in India at the F1 Rocks concert. However, immediately at the end of our afternoon press conference at a hotel near the venue, we were notified that there was a serious question as to whether the show could proceed with regard to the safety of the concert audience. And our first and foremost concern is always for the safety of you, the fans....

DNA, the promoters of the show, postponed the show to Saturday as there was failure of security barricade in front of the stage that could not be adequately repaired. After the announcement that the concert had been cancelled, angry fans damaged the equipments near the stage; some tried to set fire to banners near the stage.

Despite valiant efforts by organisers to repair the damage caused by the previous nights' events, unfortunately, on such short notice the promoters were unable to secure a permit for a show on Saturday. Therefore, DNA announced that the band would not play in Delhi.

F1Rocks added that Every conceivable effort had been made for the concert to go ahead today, but in view of public safety and in consultation with the event organiser DNA Entertainment Networks and representatives from Metallica the decision was made to cancel the show....

The band also stated that within the next 24 hours a notification will be issued by DNA regarding the process for full refunds.

On the other hand, four people, including a top official of the company organising the Metallica concert, were arrested on Saturday on charges of cheating and breach of trust, as the event was postponed at the last moment, police said.

Rajesh, the general manager of DNA Networks, was arrested along with team members Umesh, Ashok Singh and Savio Faleio, Gurgaon's Sector 29 Station House Officer Jagdish Prasad said.

Over 25,000 people had gathered at the Leisure Valley Park to watch the concert, the opener for the 'F1 Rocks' series of performances for the Formula 1 event.

We are deeply disappointed with this news as we were looking forward to our first experience in India as much as you guys were" said Metallica.

Metallica is slated to perfom on Sunday 30 October in Bangalore.