Two policemen have been suspended in Kanpur for attacking each other during an argument over The Kashmir Files, a movie based on the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley in the 1990s.

“Naresh Singh and Swatantra Yadav, two constables attached with Vikas Pandey, additional commissioner of police of Govind Nagar circle of Kanpur, thrashed each other during an argument over The Kashmir Files on March 13. We have booked both of them after an inquiry and suspended them from service till the inquiry report comes,” said Brij Narayan Singh, ACP of Swaroop Nagar area in Kanpur.

In his complaint, Naresh had said he was praising the film while Swatantra was criticising it. “Soon, he started beating me,” Naresh said.

Swatantra claimed it was Naresh who attacked him during an argument over the film, which has kicked up a political storm.

“Both of them were involved in the brawl and so both were suspended,” the ACP said. They have been booked under IPC Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (breach of peace), and 506 (criminal intimidation).

Anil Kumar Singh, a professor of Hindi at Saket Degree College in Ayodhya, said: “I believe an atmosphere of distrust against each other has been created in the country. Its manifestation may be seen in the caste war. This incident is only a minor example of the simmering unrest into which the country has been pushed by some people for political gain.

“People have lost all aspirations, all ambitions and are mere instruments in the hands of mean political leaders who are rich and who are criminals. Over 80 per cent elected public representatives are very rich and have criminal antecedents.”

“Amid all this, we are trying to introduce in art the same political viciousness. Ultimately, the frustration of the people will come up in the form of violence. It is bound to grow in the given situation.”