Mangal Pandey screening cancelled in Ballia

Screening of the Amir Khan-starrer 'The Rising' was cancelled in the birthplace of Mangal Pandey on Friday in the wake of protests that the film "distorted historical facts" and had no reference to his ancestral village - Nagwa.

Local stage artistes and intellectuals have been staging 'dharnas' in front of Vijay cinema hall in Ballia for the past two days following which the hall management cancelled the screening of the film, slated for release today.

Protestors also damaged a shop selling cassettes and CDs of the film in the district, besides stalling a goods train on way to Chhappra in neighbouring Bihar for about half-an-hour and staged a sit-in on Ballia-Barriya highway.

Officials, however, said, "No one will be allowed to disturb the peace in the name of opposing the film and any attempt to create a law and order situation would be dealt with firmly." The district administration was keeping a close watch on the situation, they added.