MP cops provide security to Kangana after Cong leaders' threat

Madhya Pradesh police have put inplace thick security cover around Bollywood actor KanganaRanaut in the wake of a threat by some state Congress leadersthat they would not allow her shoot for a film if she did notapologise to farmers over her tweets, an official said onFriday.

Shooting for ''Dhaakad'', Ranaut's new film, is going onin Sarni area of Betul district.

Talking to PTI over phone, Sarni City Superintendentof Police (CSP) Abhay Ram Choudhary said, ''Security has beentightened for the actress after MP Home Minister NarottamMishra directed Betul Superintendent of Police Simala Prasadto do so.'' Police personnel equipped with batons and firearms aredeployed around the coal handling plant (CHL) near a powerproject, where the shooting is on, he added.

''Police will man gate numbers two and four of the CHL,from where actors usually enter the shooting venue,'' Choudharysaid.

An inspector has been assigned to oversee Ranaut'ssafety at the resort, located around 45 kms from Sarni town,where she is during for the shoot, he said.

''We will ensure that she does not face any disturbanceduring the shoot,'' the CSP added.

As per the film schedule, her shoot at Sarni would endon February 17, the police officer said.

State Congress Sewa Dal secretary Manoj Arya andChicholi Block Congress Committee president Nekram Yadav hadon Wednesday submitted a memorandum to a tehsildar in Betul,in which they threatened that they would not allow Ranaut toshoot at Sarni if she does not apologise by Friday eveningover her comments against the ongoing farmers' protest.

The Congress leaders had alleged that Ranaut hadmaligned farmers.

On Thursday, Narottam Mishra had said that thegovernment will ensure that ''behan-beti'' Kangana faces noproblem while shooting.

He had also urged state Congress chief Kamal Nath todissuade his party workers from disrupting the shoot.

Twitter had recently deleted some of Ranaut'scontroversial tweets over the farmers' protest.