Haryana on alert as Dera's 'MSG' hits screen tomorrow

Apprehending protests by Sikh groups, Haryana Police has put the state on alert and clamped prohibitory orders in several districts as Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh's debut film 'Messenger of God (MSG)' is releasing tomorrow.

Haryana DGP Yashpal Singhal today appealed to the people to maintain law and order and said Section 144 (prohibiting assembly of five or more persons) has been imposed in several districts.

"Additional force has been deployed to maintain peace," the state police chief said.
The DGP also issued directions to all the senior police officials including IGs, DIGs and SPs to step up security around cinema halls in their respective areas for peaceful screening of the movie, according to a statement issued here.
Adequate security arrangements have been put in place in Union Territory Chandigarh to maintain law and order.

"We have made adequate security arrangements for peaceful screening of the movie," Chandigarh Home Secretary Anurag Aggarwal told PTI today.

The police will be keeping an eye on the movement of public entering Chandigarh from other places, including Haryana and Punjab, as part of measures to prevent any untoward incident, he said.

The DGP also appealed to people to avoid any public address during the screening of the movie which could vitiate the peaceful atmosphere.

Police force has been deployed at "vulnerable" points as groups opposed to the sect and the film had indulged in arson earlier in parts of Punjab and Haryana.
"The entire state is on alert. We have strengthened our police force and deployed it at vulnerable points (to maintain law and order)," Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Law and Order, Muhammad Akil told PTI today when asked about the measures being taken in the wake of release of the movie.

Asserting that the situation so far is normal, Akil, however, said that the police was taking precautionary measures to avoid any untoward incident."As per inputs received so far, the situation is normal," he said.

Prohibitory orders have been imposed in Kurukshetra around 200 meter radius of cinema hall where the movie is to be screened. The district authorities have warned of taking action under Section 188 of IPC (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) for violating the prohibitory orders.