Padmaavat row: Karni Sena national secy Suraj Pal Amu arrested

New Delhi: The Gurgaon police on Friday arrested the national secretary of the Shree Karni Sena Suraj Pal Amu for anti-Padmaavat violence.

He was detained on Thursday for questioning and placed under arrest on Friday morning on charges of breaching peace in the city. He has been sent to four-day judicial custody, said Ravinder Kumar, public relation officer of the Gurgaon police.

On Wednesday, a mob attacked a school bus with 20 to 25 children onboard in Gurgaon, where hundreds of violent protesters took to roads torching vehicles and destroying public property to oppose the film’s release. The protests were led by the Karni Sena, which has alleged that history had been distorted in the Sanjay Leela Bhansali- directed period drama. However, the police has not named the Karni Sena in the FIR registered in connection with the attack on the school bus and the torching of a Haryana Roadways bus on Sohna road.

“Suraj Pal Amu was detained on charges of apprehension of breach of peace and tranquillity of an area. He had also tried to meet his supporters at MG Road. He was detained from his residence at DLF area in view of the law and order situation,” Mr Kumar said.

The situation in Gurgaon is peaceful and under control. The administration has appealed to residents not to pay heed or spread rumours and follow the prohibitory orders, the officer said.

“Earlier, 31 protesters were arrested for violating prohibitory orders under Section 144. Of them, 18 were charged with torching the Haryana Roadways bus and pelting the school bus with stones,” Mr Kumar said.

Meanwhile, to put an  end to the rumours,  Gurgaon police issued an statement in which it said, “None of the accused belonged to Muslim community and this rumour was denied by Gurugram police in the afternoon. Kunwar Surajpal Singh Ammu, the BJP’s former chief media coordinator and the general secretary of the Shri Rajput Karni Sena has also been sent for judicial custody on Friday.