NEW DELHI: Over 100 people were arrested by Maharashtra police after one person was killed and eight others were injured in communal riots caused by a yet-to-be-released fictional film involving three Indian women from the southern state who join the Islamic State.
According to reports, a social media post on the controversial movie “The Kerala Story” sparked the violence that occurred in the city of Akola.
Authorities cut off internet access and enforced a curfew to bring the situation under control.
A female police officer was among those who sustained injuries during the riots, the BBC said.
According to the police, the escalation of violence started on Saturday when locals from Akola gathered in front of a police station to demonstrate against a social media post about the movie.
According to reports, one of the residents uploaded a screenshot of a chat between two residents on Instagram. A police officer told The Indian Express newspaper that several chat messages “hurt the religious sentiments” of the other individual, but he did not provide any further information.
The office of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde issued an appeal for peace and asked the police to strictly deal with individuals responsible for the violence.
Months before the movie hit screens this week, The Kerala Story has caused controversy. Three Indian women from a southern state — who join the Islamic State — are fictional characters in the movie.
The movie has drawn criticism from opposition lawmakers who label it propaganda. However, the film’s creators claim that it is based on extensive study and actual occurrences.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi complimented the movie during an election rally last month, and it has also received backing from prominent members of the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), including at least two federal ministers.
The film has been banned by the West Bengal government, but it has been made tax-free in two BJP-run states, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
In Jammu district, a medical college saw fighting over the movie on Sunday. Violence broke out, allegedly sparked by a review of the movie published on a student WhatsApp group, injuring at least two pupils.
