Rail tracks blocked in Mathura against 'Padmaavat' release

Alleged members of the Shree Rajput Karni Sena on Wednesday blocked the Mathura-Agra route of the North Central Railway at Bhuteshwar station for about 10 minutes in a "symbolic protest" against controversial film 'Padmaavat', which is scheduled for release tomorrow. "The agitators blocked a passenger train between Delhi and Mathura, for over 10 minutes at Bhuteshwar station in Mathura district," GRP Inspector Gaurav Kumar Sharma said.

The train already has a scheduled stoppage of 10 minutes and the blockage added to a 10-minute delay, Sharma said. "We don not want to take law in our hands, however, in spite of so much opposition from the Rajputs, all over the country, the central government neither had made any effort to solve the problem by interacting with the censor board nor has it pleaded the case properly in the apex court," Kunvar Narendra Singh, President, Brij Mandal Kshatriya Mahasabha and National vice president of the Mahasabha leading the "Rail Roko Abhiyan" said.

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"The blockade was symbolic in view of the problem of the passengers. The train was allowed to go after over 20 minute," he said. Singh expressed hope that the cinema owners of the district would "cooperate with the agitators" and would not make any effort to exhibit the film in Mathura. Meanwhile, the district administration has said it has taken every precaution to ensure that the demonstrations does not become violent. "So long it (demonstration) is peaceful, we would not interfere. However, violation of law would be severely dealt with," SSP Swapnil Mamgai said.