Tension prevailed at Maharaja Cinema Hall in Bhubaneswar after a group of youths allegedly created chaos during a movie screening, leading to a violent altercation, vandalism, and damage to vehicles parked outside the theatre on Thursday.

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Following the incident, Saheed Nagar police arrested three persons, including a minor, in connection with the case.

According to police sources, the trouble began when some youths started shouting and creating disturbances while watching the film inside the theatre. Their behaviour reportedly disturbed other moviegoers, who objected to the commotion. The argument soon escalated into a heated confrontation inside the cinema hall.

Sources said the situation turned violent after the theatre management intervened and attempted to calm the youths. The accused allegedly attacked members of the management staff and later vandalised property inside the cinema hall. Several items inside the theatre were reportedly damaged during the incident.

The accused also allegedly targeted vehicles belonging to audience members parked outside the cinema hall. Panic spread for quite a long time among moviegoers as the violence escalated, forcing authorities to intervene.

Based on CCTV footage and further investigation, Saheed Nagar Police arrested three accused persons, including a juvenile. Two of the arrested individuals have been identified as Raja Reddy and Sarathi Nayak. Police said the accused persons belong to Ganapati Nagar slum area in Bhubaneswar.

Police officials are continuing their investigation to determine whether more individuals were involved in the violence. Security arrangements around the cinema hall have also been strengthened to avoid further disturbances.

However, no comments were received from the local police in this regard.

The incident has raised concerns over safety and crowd management at cinema halls in the city, especially during crowded movie screenings and late-night shows.

Reported By: Arun Kumar Sahu