Haryana to provide security to cinema halls screening 'Padmaavat'

Haryana Director General of Police (DGP) B S Sandhu on Monday cautioned trouble makers saying nobody would be allowed to disrupt peace as adequate forces will be deployed around cinema halls where Bollywood film 'Padmaavat' is screened. "We are going to provide adequate security to cinema halls that will screen the movie on January 25. No one will be allowed to disrupt peace in the state," Sandhu said.

He said adequate forces will be deployed and clear instructions were given to the concerned SPs to ensure that law and order was maintained. He said the state security forces will be deployed on January 25 around theatres. The DGP's statement came after several fringe groups threatened multiplex, theatre and cinema hall owners against the screening of Padmaavat alleging that it portrayed legendary queen Rani Padmavati in "poor light".

A group of around 15 unidentified miscreants yesterday vandalized a shopping mall in Kurukshetra causing panic among shoppers. Carrying sharp edged weapons and sticks, they broke the glass panes of shops in the mall. In Gurgaon also, members of a group held a bike rally yesterday and caused traffic jam, demanding a ban on the screening of the movie.

Some activists had on January 20 taken out a march at Ambala Cantonment and warned cinema hall owners against screening 'Padmaavat'. They had threatened that their cinema halls would be ransacked if the movie was screened. The Supreme Court's recent order had paved way for all-India release of controversial Bollywood movie 'Padmaavat' on January 25.

The apex court had stayed notifications and orders issued by Gujarat, Rajasthan and other states prohibiting the exhibition of the film in their territories.