Four held for disrupting Pakistani play in Gurgaon

Four people, claiming to be members of the right-wing Shiv Sena party, were on Sunday arrested for creating a ruckus during the performance of a play by Pakistani artistes in this millennium city, police said.

The play 'Banjh' (barren) by seven Pakistani artistes, including two women, was being staged late on Saturday evening in sector 29 when several people climbed onto the stage shouting anti-Pakistan slogans and disrupted the performance.

Officials said the situation was brought under control by members of the audience and a few policemen who arrived at the scene.

The play continued after the brief interruption.

The play, performed by Mass foundation members from Pakistan's Lahore, pertained to the fighting between Indian and Pakistani troops for uninhabited areas such as the Siachen glacier.

Play director Amir Nawaz said its performances were disrupted in Pakistan too.

"Acting on a complaint by Municipal Corporation Public Relations Officer Satbir Rohilla regarding criminal trespass by a group of people in a cultural programme organised by the Municipal Corporation on Saturday evening, involving artistes from Pakistan, the Gurgaon police have registered an FIR against four persons," Gurgaon Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Deepak Saharan said in a statement.

Those arrested under sections 451 and 34 of Indian Penal Code were named as Ajay, Gautam, Sumit and Jitu -- all residents of different localities of Gurgaon.