Chennai, November 16 (BPNS)

Two youths riding a motorbike hurled three petrol bombs at a movie theatre screening the film’Amaran’ in Tirunelveli during the early morning hours of Saturday.

Fortunately, no damage was reported at the theatre in the incident. Police sources informed IANS that CCTV footage from the theatre premises and nearby buildings is being reviewed to identify the two suspects, who fled the scene after the attack.

The Sivakarthikeyan-starrer ‘Amaran’ has faced criticism from some organisations, including the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), for allegedly portraying Muslims as extremists in Kashmir.

In response, police protection has been deployed at theatres screening the film, including Woodlands Theatre in Royapettah and Kamala Theatre in Vadapalani.

The movie showcases the martyrdom of Major Mukund Varadarajan, an officer from Chennai who served with the 44 Rashtriya Rifles. He was martyred in action in Shopian, Kashmir, in 2014.
Despite the protests,’Amaran’ has received positive reviews in theatres. Earlier, the SDPI, the political arm of the banned Islamist extremist organisation Popular Front of India (PFI), staged protests against the movie in Coimbatore.

The organisation claimed the film portrayed Muslims in a negative light. Nearly 100 SDPI members gathered outside Shanthi Theatre in Coimbatore on Friday, demanding a ban on the movie’s screening.

SDPI district secretary Mansoor Ali led the protest, while the party’s state secretary, Kaja Hussain, alleged that the film spread hate under the guise of patriotism and depicted Muslims as anti-nationals.
Police detained and removed 97 protestors from the scene. The Tamil Nadu police are taking the Tirunelveli bomb attack seriously. Sources revealed that a high-level meeting involving senior police officials is being convened at the state police headquarters to evaluate the situation and formulate further action.