'Padmaavat': Protesters block traffic, torch bus in Gurgaon

Despite prohibitory orders, hundreds of Shree Rajput Karni Sena supporters blocked traffic at the Khidki Daula toll plaza on the Delhi-Jaipur National Highway as they protested against the release of controversial film 'Padmaavat' tomorrow.

Some of the protesters even damaged toll booths and vehicles, police said. They assembled at toll plaza at 11:30 am and stalled the movement of vehicles for half an hour, an official said.

Traffic was normalizedafter the police dispersed them, he said adding the protesters raised slogans against filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

"They were detained and released far from the national highway. Additional deployment has been made at major chowks in Gurgaon," ACP and Chief PRO Gurgaon Police Manish Sehgal told PTI.
 

A Haryana Roadways bus was also set on fire near village Bhondsi in Gurgaon allegedly by protesting activists of Karni Sena, officials said. However, there was no loss of life, they added.

The police said that restrictions under section 144 of the CrPC had been imposed but denied that bars and pubs in the city had been ordered to remain closed.

"There are rumours being spread in Gurgaon that we have directed to close all city bars and pubs. We have already imposed section 144 in city but have not directed any shut- down of pubs and bars. Pubs and bars can remain open," Gurgaon Deputy Commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh said.

The Gurgaon administration had on Tuesday imposed prohibitory orders till Sunday to maintain law and order in view of the Shree Rajput Karni Sena threatening to target theatres against the scheduled release of Padmaavat tomorrow.

There are over 40 multiplexes and cinema halls in Gurgaon.

"Following imposition of section 144, there is prohibition on the presence of people carrying firearms and other articles capable of causing injury, raising slogans and exhibiting placards within 200 meters radius of cinema halls and multiplexes from January 23 to January 28," Singh said.

The Supreme Court had earlier paved the way for the all- India release of 'Padmaavat' and stayed notifications and orders issued by Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat all ruled by theBJP prohibiting exhibition of the film.