Independence Day began on a disturbing note for five artistes from Mumbai. Some of them were approached by police in the wee hours in a hotel they were staying at. Their belongings and documents were checked, which was only because one of them has a Hindu name with a Muslim surname, they claimed. They will take legal action and want the police to apologise. However, the police claim it was a routine exercise.

'Targeted because of name'

Sharmistha Saha, Dilip Kumar Pandey, Amit Kumar, Yash Khan and Priyanka Charan were in Pune for a performance of their play, Romeo Ravidas Aur Juliet Devi. Saha said they then stayed at the hotel in Chinchwad. The men were in one room and the women in another. She said, "The police barged into the men's room around 2.30 am on Thursday. Just because Yash has a Hindu name and a Muslim surname, we were targeted."