Protests and acts of vandalism have been reported from various parts of the State in view of the proposed release of movie ‘Padmaavat’ on January 25.
Karni Sena held a protest in Ujjain to demand a State-wide ban Padmaavat. The Karni Sena, an organisation of the Rajput community, staged blockades by burning tyres on roads connecting Ujjain to Nagda, Dewas to Maksi and Agar to Kota.
Ujjain faced a highway jam due to the aggressive burning of tyres. Some activists of the organisation also hijacked a truck and tried setting it on fire in Indore.
Activists of Karni Sena sat on a dharna on roads linking Mhow to Neemuch in order to raise ban on the movie, causing a traffic jam. Traffic was also affected in Neemuch, Dewas, Dhar, Shajapur and Mandsaur due to the activities by workers of the Karni Sena.
IG Intelligence Makrand Deuskar told media persons in Bhopal that law and order is completely under control in the State and all the SPs have been alerted.
However, instead of taking stern action against the rioters, Superintendent of Police (SP) Sachin Atulkar told that the administration has urged the protesters not to take the law into their hands. "We have cleared the road after receiving a memorandum from the protesters," he said.
There were also reports that protesters had pelted vehicles with stones on the Agar-Kota road. The SP, however, denied any incidents of violence. “There were small road blockades. We will take stern legal action if protesters disrupt law and order," he said.