Miscreants create ruckus, break cars in national capital

Newdelhi:miscreants protesting against the release of the film Padmaavat created ruckus in different parts of the city throughout Wednesday and a group even went on to vandalise several cars in northwest Delhi’s Maurya Enclave. Protests were also reported in Rohini, Prashant Vihar, Wazirpur and Timarpur but no violence was reported in these places, said the police.

In all these places, protesters raised slogans and threatened that they would not allow the screening of the movie in the cinema halls of Delhi.

In one of the incidents, a group of men wearing orange bands on their heads, tried to march towards PVR multiplex in outer Delhi’s Prashant Vihar at around 11.30am. However, their bid was foiled by the police, said DCP (Rohini) Rajneesh Gupta. “There were some demonstrators who came near PVR Prashant Vihar. We managed to detain some 20 or 25 men,” said Gupta.

Nearly half an hour after this, the police was informed of a group vandalising cars in Maurya Enclave. They broke windows of at least half a dozen of cars parked near a market. The shopkeepers immediately shut their shops. While locals said the group was of nearly 150 men, police said the number was smaller. “A group of 15-20 men damaged the cars in Maurya Enclave and tried to block traffic but ran away when we arrived,” said deputy commissioner of police (northwest) Aslam Khan. Police suspect some protesters reached there after being driven away from Prashant Vihar as the two localities were nearby.

Delhi Police also denied that the protest was an organised one.

“It was a minor incident committed by a group of fringe elements. No organised groups were involved in it,” said Delhi Police spokesperson Madhur Verma.

“We have roped in Central forces too and would ensure that the movie is screened peacefully. Anyone who tries to break the law would be strictly dealt with,” said a Delhi Police official.