On 12th November (Sunday), Salman Khan-starrer Tiger-3 hit the theatres to encash the Diwali festival season. Soon videos started doing rounds on the internet in which a group of Salman Khan’s fans could be seen endangering the lives of other moviegoers by bursting crackers inside a cinema hall.
In the viral videos, a section of his fans are seen creating chaos in a packed cinema hall by recklessly bursting firecrackers, causing a stampede-like situation.
Several viral videos of the incident show that a group of miscreants started bursting crackers as Salman Khan made an entry on the silver screen. The viral videos suggest that the firecrackers were burst inside Mohan Cinema in Malegaon, Nashik, in Maharashtra. According to the visuals, the packed cinema hall gets filled with sparks flowing all around while the majority of the theatre audience rushes toward the exit trying to avoid getting hurt or inflicting burn injuries by the sparks. This turned their relaxed theatre experience into a massive disaster and a stampede-like situation.
According to the viral clips, it appears that this was done in several different sections of the theatre and seated areas. Additionally, as per media reports, his fans also set off firecrackers in many other theatres across the country.
The police have started an investigation after a case was registered against Mohan Theater under Section 112 in Chavani police station, India Today reported. It added that two people have also been taken into custody for the incident.
When the videos went viral, several netizens slammed Salman Khan’s fans for endangering the lives of kids, women, and other moviegoers seated in those rows by their reckless act and triggering a stampede-like situation and risk of starting a fire. Many users also highlighted that this is not a one-off incident as reportedly there has been a trend of recklessly bursting firecrackers in this cinema theatre and demanded that swift action should be taken in this matter.
Regarding this, an X user wrote, “As Usual (firework emoji) Salman Khan Fanclub Malegaon continues the TREND of Bursting Crackers in Theatres on Salman Khan’s Entry, Though It is not advised but Fans ka emotion kon Samjhe.”
A netizen wrote, “How do they even let them carry those inside the theatre??! We aren’t even allowed to carry our snacks.” Another user wrote, “How it is allowed? So risky and dangerous… Person’s involved should be punished.”
Strikingly, when similar incidents were reported in 2021, the actor issued a public appeal to his fans not to indulge in such acts as it could be a huge fire hazard and endanger their own safety as well as those of others.
Back in 2021, during the release of Antim: The Final Truth, similar acts of hooliganism by his fans were attempted in theatres, and videos of the same also went viral.
Following the incident, Salman Khan said, “Request all my fans not to take firecrackers inside the auditorium as it could prove to be a huge fire hazard thereby endangering your lives and also others. My request to theatre owners is not to allow firecrackers to be taken inside the cinema and security should stop them from doing so at the entry point. Enjoy the film by all means but please please avoid this is my request to all my fans .. thank u.”