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One injured in clash during Balmiki followers’ bandh call
One boy was injured after a scuffle between a shopkeeper and those protesting against Arshad Warsi-and Aditi Rao Hydari-starrer comedy film ‘The Legend of Michael Mishra’, at local Islamabad area here on Friday.
One boy was injured after a scuffle between a shopkeeper and those protesting against Arshad Warsi-and Aditi Rao Hydari-starrer comedy film ‘The Legend of Michael Mishra’, at local Islamabad area here on Friday.
The Balmiki followers had called for a bandh, alleging that movie was hurting their religious sentiments.
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The protesters were seen on roads since morning, asking the shopkeepers to close the establishments. Tension simmered when the agitators reached the Islamabad area and asked a welder to close his shop and the latter refused to it.
The group got into a verbal spat. A man who worked in the shop got aggressive and confronted the group. This resulted in a clash and stone pelting from both the sides.
Sensing tension, Amritsar police commissioner Amar Singh Chahal reached the spot and controlled the situation.
“It was a minor scuffle that was controlled. Over all, the city remained peaceful,” said Chahal.
The movie, scheduled to be released on Friday across the nation, was suspended by the Punjab government for two months keeping in view the prevailing strong resentment among the Balmiki community over some references to Maharishi Balmiki.
As there was bandh call to protest against the movie, the police commissioner had held a meeting with officers and station house officers (SHOs )at around 8:00AM at the police lines.
The police guarded the main bazaars and other sensitive locations. The major focus of the police was to avert tension and clashes.
Though, the Civil Line remained opened, the main bazaars of the walled city, Putlighar, and hall gate remained shut for most of the time.
Meanwhile, the protesters demanded registration of a case against the film-makers and arrest of director and producer of the movie.
