Threat calls row after free screening of ‘The Kerala Story 2’ in Puttur

Mangaluru: Allegations of threatening phone calls to women have surfaced following the free screening of the controversial film The Kerala Story 2 in Puttur of Dakshina Kannada district.

The programme, organised to screen the film for college students, has now triggered a fresh controversy after organisers claimed that women received abusive and threatening calls linked to the event.

The screening was organised by Seetha Parivar at GL One Mall in Puttur with the stated aim of creating awareness about issues portrayed in the film. Arrangements were made to show the film free of cost for college students aged between 16 and 22.

Three shows were conducted on Friday evening, and the initiative reportedly received support from leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party and several Hindu organisations.

However, the controversy intensified after certain messages related to the programme began circulating widely on social media. Some posts allegedly called upon members of the Muslim community to avoid visiting GL One Mall, while other messages reportedly warned Muslim girls to be cautious about going to the mall in the future.

These posts quickly went viral and triggered intense debate online, with many raising concerns about communal tensions in the region.The situation escalated further after organisers alleged that women associated with the programme received threatening phone calls.

According to them, the promotional poster for the event had included mobile numbers of women volunteers for seat bookings. Soon after the programme details went public, several callers allegedly contacted those numbers and used abusive language while issuing threats.

Organisers claimed that the callers attempted to intimidate the women and discourage them from continuing such activities. They further alleged that some of the calls may have originated from outside India, though this has not yet been officially confirmed.

Reacting strongly to the incident, BJP leader Arun Kumar Puthila accused certain extremist elements of attempting to disrupt the programme through threats and misinformation campaigns.

He said such intimidation tactics would not deter them from conducting awareness programmes in the future. Puthila also demanded that the police investigate the threatening calls and identify those responsible for harassing the women volunteers.

Following the allegations, the police department has begun monitoring the situation in Puttur and surrounding areas. Officials said precautionary measures have been taken to prevent any untoward incidents and to maintain law and order.

The incident has once again highlighted how film screenings and political narratives around issues like “love jihad” can quickly escalate into social and communal controversies, particularly when amplified through social media. Meanwhile, police authorities are expected to examine the threatening call allegations and the viral messages to determine whether any legal action is required.

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