Petrol bombs hurled at movie theatre screening ’Amaran’ in Tirunelveli

Chennai: In the early hours of Saturday, two youths on a motorcycle threw three petrol bombs at a movie theatre in Tirunelveli where the film ‘Amaran’ was being screened. Fortunately, the attack did not cause any damage to the theatre. Police are currently reviewing CCTV footage from the theatre and surrounding areas to identify the suspects, who managed to escape.

‘Amaran,’ starring Sivakarthikeyan, has come under fire from some groups, including the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), for allegedly depicting Muslims as extremists in its portrayal of Kashmir. In light of the controversy, police protection has been provided at various theatres showing the film, such as Woodlands Theatre in Royapettah and Kamala Theatre in Vadapalani.

The film tells the story of Major Mukund Varadarajan, an Army officer from Chennai who was killed in action in Kashmir in 2014. Despite the backlash, ‘Amaran’ has received favorable reviews from audiences. Earlier protests led by the SDPI in Coimbatore attracted nearly 100 members, who demanded that the movie be banned, claiming it portrays Muslims negatively. Police intervened, detaining 97 protestors during the demonstration.

The Tamil Nadu police are treating the bomb attack in Tirunelveli very seriously, with plans for a high-level meeting of senior officials at the state police headquarters to discuss the issue and determine the next steps.