After the attack on a school bus by anti-‘Padmaavat’ protestors, some schools in Gurugram will remain closed till Sunday in view of the violence over the controversial film’s release.
The management of the schools confirmed that they would close down as a precaution despite the district administration and the Gurgaon police assuring adequate security.
The schools which will be shut down till Sunday include Pathways school, GD Goenka school, Shiv Nadar school and Delhi Public School.
On Wednesday, around 25 students of G D Goenka World School were on their way home when a group of around 60 activists, believed to be members of a fringe group, attacked the bus with bamboo sticks asking the driver to stop the vehicle.
Buses were torched and vehicles damaged as fringe groups ran amok in Gurugram and Rohini in West Delhi as protests against the release of Padmaavat intensified on Wednesday, 24 January.
Mobs were seen pelting stones at the vehicles. A Haryana Roadways bus was set on fire by the miscreants who demanded that the Sanjay Leela Bhansali film should not be screened in theatres.
Section 144 imposed
“Some people and groups want rioting in the district but we appeal to residents and groups not to violate law and order situation and Section 144 is already imposed in the city,” said Gurgaon Deputy Commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh.
Singh also said that everyone has the right to protest but in a peaceful way.
The Gurgaon police have arrested 20 people for allegedly violating prohibitory orders, a senior official said.
Gurgaon police along with 550 additional forces including local police stations teams have been deployed in the city’s major areas including multiplexes, Commissioner of Police Sandeep Khairwar said.
“All Gurgaon malls have been directed to tighten their internal security. I along with other senior officers are monitoring the security arrangements in their respective zones,” he said.
“The Gurgaon Police is on a high alert and various teams are ready to respond quickly in case of any untoward incident,” Khairawar said.
(with agency inputs)