Gunshots fired during Padmavati movie protest rally in Chittorgarh
The Jauhar Smriti Sansthan had warned that if the film wasn't banned by November 16, tourists will not be allowed to enter the fort
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Police force was deployed at Jaigarh Fort in Jaipur after Bollywood director Sanjay Leela Bhansali was attacked by Rajput protestors in January (file photo). Image credit: Post Staff
Jaipur: Panic spread among people at Chittorgarh Fort when gunshots were fired in the air during a protest rally organized by Karni Sena and other Rajput community groups against the release of Bollywood film Padmavati. According to reports, no one was hurt and no damage was done when this incident happened. The police have thus far denied confirming the occurrence of a firing incident, however, thousands of people reportedly witnessed this.
The identity of the man and which group he belonged to is yet to be known. The police were informed about this incident however due to lack of evidence no action has been initiated thus far on behalf of the authorities.
The latest incident has further raised concerns for the state government. Reportedly, the police are on the lookout for factual evidence of the firing incident. Chittorgarh is one of the most iconic forts of the state and during the past few weeks, several protests against the film have been witnessed at Padan Pole located in the fort complex. This gate is the entry point to the fort.
The Jauhar Smriti Sansthan hadwarned that if the film wasn’t banned by November 16, tourists would not be allowed to enter the fort. According to the director of the Jauhar Smriti Sansthan, Ummed Singh, tourists will not be allowed to enter the fort however the locals living in the vicinity will be allowed to carry on with their day to day activities.
On the other hand, the administration has made special arrangements to ensure the protection of this site. The fort had only stopped tourist operations on three previous occasions during curfew and communal clash situations. Chittorgarh fort is a UNESCO world heritage site and was once the capital of Mewar.
Meanwhile, the Ashok Jain, Chief Secretary Rajasthan, called an urgent meeting to discuss the current situation. The meeting which involved Home Secretary Deepak Upreti and DGP Ajit Singh along with other officials were convened to tackle the protests and strategize security measures for theatres across the state. The meeting was held as per orders of CM Vasundhara Raje and senior officials are expected to give feedback regarding the matter.
