BHOPAL: Violence and arson erupted in parts of BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh and Haryana ahead of Thursday’s release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s controversial period drama Padmaavat as the Karni Sena, an extremist Rajput group, on Monday warned of “enormous outburst of people” if the movie was released.

Protests and acts of vandalism were reported from various parts of Madhya Pradesh, including in Indore, Ujjain and Jhabua on Monday.

Activists of Karni Sena, which is at the forefront of the anti-Padmaavat protests because they claim the movie shows medieval Rajput queen Padmavati in not so honorable light — held demonstration in Ujjain to demand state-wide ban on the movie.

They also staged blockades by burning tyres on roads connecting Ujjain to Nagda, Dewas to Maksi and Agar to Kota.

The highway to Ujjain was blocked for hours, while police said that Karni Sena activists tried to hijack a truck and set it on fire in Indore.

Deputy Inspector General Hari Narayan Chari Mishra told IANS that protesters were forcibly removed from many places.

In Bhopal, members of the Rajput group, held demonstration outside Jyoti Talkies and warned of consequences if the film was released. Meanwhile, a group of women, representing the Rajput community, left Ratlam for Rajasthan’s Chittorgarh where they will stage a protest.

Violence was also reported from Haryana where some miscreants vandalised Kessel Mall in Kurukshetra late on Sunday.

Abhishek Garg, Superintendent of Police, Kutukshetra, said that a case was registered against “unknown persons for rioting” after a group of people vandalised the mall.

He said it was not known if they were protesting against the movie but “there is a possibility” that the vandalism was against the release of film.

In Rajasthan, Rajput Karni Sena chief Lokendra Singh Kalvi on Monday said he would not allow the movie be released “at any cost” and warned that if cinema halls went ahead with the release it would lead to an “enormous outburst of people”. He also urged other state governments that want a ban to come together to approach the Supreme Court.

“We will not allow the film to be released at any cost. The Supreme Court has directed the state governments to ensure release of the film, but not to us,” Kalvai told IANS.