‘Padmaavat’ protesters burn tyres, trigger snarl at Vashi

NAVI MUMBAI: A massive traffic snarl stretched on both sides of the busy Vashi toll plaza along Sion-Panvel highway on Monday evening after a few youths blocked vehicles with burning tyres while shouting slogans against Padmaavat, the film due for release in a few days.
Navi Mumbai police and fire brigade rushed to the site to free traffic, which was held up for at least 25 minutes.“We got to know that some persons had blocked traffic for a while by burning tyres. They soon fled from the spot, and now we have normalized traffic movement. At present, we are not sure as to what they were protesting about. Further inquiry will have to be done,” said DCP (zone 1) S Pathare.
A motorist stuck in the jam on the Vashi creek bridge, told TOI: “I inquired with the workers at the toll plaza just after the problem started, and they told me that the unknown agitators had raised slogans against ‘Padmaavat’ and its makers. This is really frustrating that common people have to suffer like this.” The film, opposed by Rajputs claiming that it distorts history, is set to release soon after the censor board cleared it with a few changes, including the name.
Asked how they will identify the culprits, DCP Pathare said they will study the CCTV footage from the Vashi toll plaza to book the miscreants.
“At around 7.55pm, my car was stuck in the jam on the bridge. I could see fire and smoke about 1km ahead towards the toll plaza. It is unfair and wrong to harass motorists like this for nearly 20 to 25 minutes by illegally blocking the busy road which connects Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. If anyone wants to protest against any film, they should do so at the right forum and not hold us hostage,” said Sundeep Sharma, a Navi Mumbai-based social worker.
Fire brigade tries to douse burning tyres near the Vashi toll plaza on Monday evening. Cops will check CCTV footage to track the miscreants
Vashi bridge traffic diverted from Feb 1
Maintenance work on the Vashi creek bridge will prompt traffic diversion for 20 days from February 1. The diversion was initially meant from January 23 to February12, but the work has been postponed.