Immolation bid, violence in UP
LUCKNOW/KANPUR/ALIGARH: Amid violence and a self immolation bid, the special screening of Padmaavat had to be hastily cancelled in majority of theatres and multiplexes across Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday.
At some places, including Lucknow, the police had to even resort to mild lathi charge to disperse protestors. A prominent Lucknow multiplex put up notices assuring protestors of their decision to not screen the film.
In Lucknow, a youth made a self immolation bid outside Wave multiplex. Police arrested five people, including some Lucknow University students, for vandalism at Inox, another mall in Gomti Nagar.
Moreover, the police resorted to cane charge when hundreds of youths gathered outside Gomti Nagar police station demanding release of the arrested persons, including Anurag Tripathi, the Lucknow University student who had attempted self immolation. After this, majority of malls and theatres cancelled the special screening of the film that was planned ahead of its Thursday release.
General secretary of UP Cinema Owners and Exhibitors Association, Ashish Agarwal said in some malls, the special screening was held under tight police presence.
In Meerut, protestors from the Bajrang Dal, Hindu Sena and a lesser known Singh Sena protested outside a prominent mall while in Aligarh the Akhil Bharatiya Kshatriya Mahasabha took out a rally to warn of a “big agitation” if the film was released in the district.
“Be prepared for an agitation if the film is screened,” said Shailendra Pal Singh, the district chief of the Kshatriya Mahasabha.
A group of activists, allegedly belonging to the Hindu Yuva Vahini (HYV) and Gau Raksha Dal, on Wednesday went on a rampage and damaged vehicles in Etawah to demand ban on the release of ‘Padmaavat’, police said.
Senior superintendent of police (SSP), Etawah, Vaibhav Krishna said eight protesters were arrested while two people sustained injuries in brick-batting.
The police used mild force to disperse the protesters.
“Eight people, including the group leader Manish Budhaulia, have been arrested on charges of rioting. Security has been tightened at cinema halls and all the arrested men have been sent to jail,” he said.
The activists staged the demonstration outside a cinema hall which is one of the two places where the film is scheduled to be screened.
In Kanpur, members of Kshatriya Sabha reached a park on Mall road and tried to torch the effigy of director Sanjay Leela Bhansali.
When the police stopped them, a group of activists reached Z Square mall and shouted slogans demanding ban on Padmaavat.
Samajwadi Party leader Bunty Sengar, who led the protest in Kanpur, said any attempt to distort history would not be tolerated. Senior police officials said in view of the protests, an alert had been sounded and security had been beefed up near cinema halls.
IN KANPUR, MEMBERS OF KSHATRIYA SABHA REACHED A PARK ON MALL ROAD AND TRIED TO TORCH THE EFFIGY OF DIRECTOR SANJAY LEELA BHANSALI.