Mumbai police detains 50 Karni Sena workers from across city ahead of Padmaavat release
Representational Image (Picture Courtesy: Rashmi Rajput)
Mumbai police on Wednesday detained around 50 workers of Karni Sena from various parts of the city for protesting against Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmaavat. The film is scheduled to hit screens tomorrow.
The period drama has been facing protests by the Karni Sena and other fringe groups over allegations that historical facts were distorted in the movie.
“We have detained around 50 supporters of Karni Sena so far in different parts of Mumbai. They were taken into custody when they gathered for protesting against the film,” a senior police official told PTI.
More people are likely to be taken into preventive custody.
The action comes a day after 11 members of the right-wing outfit, including Navi Mumbai unit president Bhagvat Singh Rathod, were arrested in connection with placing burning tyres on Sion-Panvel highway and disrupting traffic movement on Monday.
The activists were carrying sticks and stones, besides kerosene cans. While they fled by the time cops arrived on the spot, Vashi police managed to trace them with the help of CCTV footage and technical evidence.
All accused have been remanded to police custody till January 26.
The film, starring Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh, is based on the saga of the 13th Century battle between Maharaja Ratan Singh of Mewar and Sultan Alauddin Khilji of Delhi.
The Supreme Court had last week paved the way for the nationwide release of Padmaavat, by staying the ban on its screening in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
The movie, which was earlier named ‘Padmavati’ and was slated for a December 1 release, will now hit theatres worldwide tomorrow.
