'Get insured': Saffron outfit to UP 'Chhapaak' viewers

A saffron outfit on Thursday threatened to block an Uttar Pradesh screening of 'Chhapaak', the Deepika Padukone film about an acid attack victim. They asked those going to watch the film to get themselves "insured".

The outfit - the 'Akhand Bharat Hindu Sena' - stuck posters containing the warning to theatre owners and viewers on the walls of cinema halls in Aligarh town, about 400 kilometres from Lucknow.

"We will not allow the screening of 'Chhapaak' in any movie theatre in the state....those wanting to screen the movie should get their halls insured...the viewers should also get themselves insured," said the outfit's president Deepak Sharma, alluding to possible violence if the film is screened.

Sharma expressed regret over the violence at JNU but said that he took strong exception to Deepika Padukone's visit to meet JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh, who was injured in the violence.

"Whatever happened at JNU is regrettable...but Deepika should have met all those who were injured...she only met one section of the students," he said.

'Chhapaak' is scheduled to be released on Friday. Police sources said that no one would be allowed to take the law into their hands. "We will take appropriate measures to maintain law and order," said a senior police official.

Deepika had visited the JNU campus a few days ago and met Ghosh. She had also expressed her support for the agitation against the recent attack on students by masked men.