Protests against Padmaavat turns violent in Ahmedabad

The protests against release of movie Padmaavat turned violent late on Tuesday in Ahmedabad, leading police to fire two rounds in the air.

A group of about 1,500 people, claiming to be affiliated to Rajput Karni Sena, gathered outside Dev Arc Mall that houses a movie theatre, to hold a candle march. The crowd then moved across the upmarket S G Highway towards another mall - Acropolis Mall housing another upmarket cinema hall. They shouted slogans bringing traffic on this busy road to a grinding halt.

The protestors moved on to two other malls and resorted to arson and burning more than two dozen vehicles parked outside the malls. The mob also resorted to stone-pelting. They looted shops in one of the malls. The police fired two rounds in the air to disperse the mob.

The multiplexes located in these malls had announced that they would not screen the movie.

As the news of violence spread, Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister, who had earlier appealed to the people to boycott the movie to ensure law and order, made a fresh appeal for "calm".

The leaders of Karni Sena denied any role in the violence and urged the state administration to initiate action as they deem fit.