New Delhi: DCPs in every district have been asked to elaborate security arrangements in areas in mixed population areas to avoid any untoward incident following the release of The Kashmir Files film.
In a letter issued on March 14 to DCPs of all districts, PCRs and traffic, the DCP (special branch) said, “The movie is based on the lives of Kashmiri Pandits, and reportedly is based on true events. It depicted the barbarism committed against Kashmiri Hindus in its crudest form…”
The letter asks all district DCPs to take precautionary measures, keeping in view the sensitivity of the matter: “Adequate police arrangements by local police, including women staff, PCR and traffic are suggested, especially in mixed population areas to handle the situation tactfully.”
The letter added: “It is claimed that the one-sided view of the event could possibly trigger violence between communities.”
The official, in the letter, further said, “In Karnataka’s Bhatkal, people have even been demanding the screening of the film in movie theatres against the limited screening of The Kashmir Files in local cinemas. In some movie theatres, audience was heard chanting slogans against terrorists and enemies of India.”
The letter also states, “The communal situation in Delhi is still fragile since the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots. Due to the recent hijab controversy and the Haridwar Dharam Sansad hate speech against the Muslim community, it cannot be ruled out that even a minor incident may create communal tension between both communities and affect the law and order situation.”
Meanwhile, in Noida, residents of Mahagun Moderne Society in Sector 78 have planned to book shows on Saturday and Sunday to “show solidarity”. A member of the Apartment Owners Association in Sector 78 said, “We have decided to arrange a special screening of the movie over the weekend for all families to show solidarity with Hindu brothers and sisters from Kashmir.”
At Noida’s Sector 39, a group created ruckus at a theatre during the show on Tuesday. Screening had to be stopped briefly and police were called in.
While the group alleged that screening was halted as the movie hall manager is from a minority community, police denied this and said it was because the AC stopped working. A senior police officer said, “There was some ruckus after the central AC system stopped working. There was no violence. Staff immediately fixed everything. We also controlled the situation.”
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