Patna: Thursday's violence against Padmaavat by protesters claiming allegiance to the Rajput Karni Sena achieved its objective; no theatre owner in Bihar dared screen the movie on Friday.

The state police headquarters directed all superintendents of police (SPs) to provide security to theatres that wanted to show the movie, said S.K. Singhal, additional director-general of police (ADG), headquarters. The government, he said, was committed to comply with the Supreme Court's order to the states to ensure that the film can be screened.

The ADG, however, admitted that so far no theatre owner has approached the police for security. "If they desire security, we are ready to provide it," Singhal asserted.

With the state government virtually putting the onus of screening on theatre owners, the fear won. "It is better to stop the screening of the film than invite the wrath of the Karni Sena men," said a theatre owner in Muzaffarpur. "They may cause damage to the theatre as happened at some places yesterday."

The theatre owner admitted that the police had assured him of security. "(But) security is not the issue," he added. "We don't want to take the responsibility for any untoward incident that might happen."

The Sena's state secretary, Prakash Singh, said on Friday that they withdrew their agitation on the assurances of theatre owners. "We had written to all the theatre owners requesting them not to show the movie about 10 days ago. Their response was positive. Yet, a few of them tried to show it but we forced them to stop," he added. "We are firm on our decision. Those trying to betray will be dealt with sternly."

ADG Singhal also asked police chiefs of those districts that saw violence on Thursday to initiate action against the protesters after ascertaining identities from video footage. Districts where hoodlums brandishing swords and sticks ran amok on Thursday included Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Vaishali, Nalanda, Begusarai, Purnea and Saharsa.

Before Thursday, the Karni Sena did not even qualify to be known as a fringe organisation in Bihar. Yet there were violent protests in several towns with at least two leaders of the ruling BJP, Chhatapur MLA Neeraj Kumar Singh Babloo and Mrinal Shekhar, a local leader in Bhagalpur, leading the demonstrations.

"It appears that a lot of anti-social elements took advantage of the situation," said a senior police officer.

Sources said Vijaylaxmi Distributors, which was to release the Sanjay Leela Bhansali movie in Bihar, has incurred a huge loss.