The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai resembled a garrison, teeming with security personnel ahead of actor Kangana Ranaut’s arrival on Wednesday. The 34-year-old actress, who is engaged in an eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation with the ruling Shiv Sena, has recently been accorded Y+ category security.

Photographs tweeted by news agency ANI showed Mumbai police cops and jawans of the Central Industrial Security Force, which is tasked with securing the airport, and security personnel in mufti present in large numbers waiting for the actor’s flight to land. Kangana arrives in the city on the day Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) demolished parts of her office over ‘illegal alterations.’

Security beefed up outside Mumbai Airport ahead of actor Kangana Ranaut arrival in Mumbai.
Visuals from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai ahead of actor Kangana Ranaut arrival.

Adding to the drama is the outfit Karni Sena, which has said its members will escort the actor from Mumbai airport to her home after she arrives in the city. The outfit madse headlines over its opposition to the Deepika Padukone-starrer Padmavat. A spokesperson of the outfit said that Karni Sena members will be “protecting and escorting” Kangana Ranaut from the airport to her home.

The confrontation between the actor and the Shiv Sena started after she drew a comparison between Mumbai and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The statement by the actor had triggered angry reactions from the Maharashtra government and Shiv Sena leaders. She also attacked for her remark that she feared Mumbai Police more than the “movie mafia”, and would prefer security either from Himachal Pradesh or the Centre.