Taslima Nasreeen barred from entering Aurangabad in Maharashtra

Controversial author Taslima Nasreen sent back from Aurangabad, Maharashtra, after protest.

Mumbai, July 31: Bangladeshi-born author Taslima Nasreen's tryst with ban continues. This time the controversial author, known for her hard-hitting writings against religious dogmas, has been stopped from entering Aurangabad in Maharashtra on Saturday.

The author was sent back from the airport in Aurangabad to Mumbai after a group of people protested against her visit to the city, police told reporters on Sunday.

Nasreen came to the city from Mumbai and landed at the Chikalthana airport. After seeing a huge crowd chanting, "Taslima Go Back", police personnel did not allow the author from stepping out of the airport.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (zone-II) Rahul Shrirame said Nasreen was sent back to Mumbai by the next flight to avoid any "law and order problem".

The author was advised to abandon her visit to the city and she agreed to go back, the police officer said. Protesters had also gathered outside a hostel where Nasreen was to stay during her three-day visit.

Police said they had come to know that the writer was planning to visit the world heritage sites of Ajanta and Ellora besides other tourist spots in Aurangabad.

The protest at the airport was led by Imtiyaz Jaleel, the AIMIM legislator from the Aurangabad central constituency. Jaleel said her writings have "hurt" the religious sentiments of Muslims across the world. "We will not allow her to step on the soil of our city," he said.

Last month, the Union home ministry has extended her visa for one year, with effect from July 23, 2017.

Nasreen, a citizen of Sweden, has been getting Indian visa on a continuous basis since 2004. The author is living in exile since she left Bangladesh in 1994 in the wake of threats to her by fundamentalist groups.

OneIndia News