No shows in Karnal, K’shetra, Panipat

Tribune Reporters

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Karnal/Kurukshetra/Panipat, January 24

Theatre and multiplex owners in Karnal, Kurukshetra and Panipat today decided against screening the movie, ‘Padmaavat’.

In Karnal, the management of the lone mall — Super Mall Movie Time — took the decision after a meeting with members of several communities, including Rajput, Brahmin, Aggarwal Vaish, Ror, Jat, Gurjar and Saini. They hailed the management’s decision.

Members of the Rajput community today announced a protest in Rajput Dharamsala here tomorrow to express their resentment against the screening of the movie in other parts of the country.

A poster calling for a ban on the movie has been pasted outside the mall.

The district administration has imposed Section 144 of the CrPC, banning the assembly of five or more people carrying weapons.

Karnal SP Jashandeep Singh Randhawa said, “Security has been beefed up at the mall to avoid any untoward incident. Two companies of security forces have been deployed.”

Col Davinder Singh (retd), president of the Rajput Mahasabha, Karnal, welcomed the decision and said the mall authorities respected the emotions of society.

In Kurukshetra, a spokesperson for the only multiplex in the city said the management would wait till opposition to the film subsided.

Meanwhile, a delegation of social organisations met officials of the mall, appealing to them not to screen the film as a section of society felt hurt over its content.

The district authorities assured police protection if the management decided to screen the film.

In Panipat, advanced tickets booking was in full swing in all three malls — PVR Cinemas, Fun Cinemas and PK Cinemas. But in the noon, mall officials got directions from the head offices to hold back the screening. Subsequently, the booking was suspended.

The police have made security arrangements at all three malls to avoid any untoward incident.