Khan finds friends in Delhi

While armed policemen were stationed outside each theatre screening the movie in the Capital,private security at the halls was also tightened,the police said.

Many welcomed the film’s release with drum beats,music and firecrackers — some tried to send a message across to the Shiv Sena by burning posters of the party and its leaders. The Sena had targetted the film after actor Shah Rukh Khan refused to apologise for favouring the inclusion of Pakistani cricketers in the Indian Premier League.

The first sign of trouble was reported from Janakpuri,West Delhi,late on Thursday night when three men,all reportedly inebriated,threw stones at Satyam Cinemas inside the Janakpuri District Centre around 12.30 am. They shouted “Jai Bal Thackeray”,and tore the film’s poster at the theatre.

A policeman present at the spot chased them away and arrested one of the troublemakers,an officer said.

“The arrested person is a Class XI student,identified as Brij Mohan. He was inebriated,” the officer said. “He is a resident of the adjacent Hassal slum area and has no affiliation to any political party.”

Around 11 am on Friday,after the film’s release,some protestors,reportedly belonging to the Shiv Sena,tore a poster of the film on the Akshardham-Pandav Nagar crossing in East Delhi. They fled before the police could intervene.

Elsewhere,in Nizamuddin,a group also tried to tear a poster of the film. “They were roaming around the Nizamuddin Dargah and wanted to take down a poster on one of the streetlights,” an officer said. “But policemen on the beat were already warned about their presence and as the group tried to bring the poster down,a constable chased them away.”

On the other side of the city,residents near Delite Cinema near Delhi Gate welcomed the release with drums — they celebrated the film’s release by shouting “We are all Khans”.

The group,led by MLA Shoaib Iqbal,also burnt effigies of Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray and son Uddhav Thackeray.