Demanding film actor Salman Khan's arrest for his alleged links with the underworld, activists of the Bharatiya Janata Party's youth wing Saturday attacked a theatre screening his latest film "Maine Pyar Kyun Kiya".

Police used force to disperse the supporters of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) when they attacked the Ramakrishna theatre at Abids in the heart of the city.

Shouting slogans against the actor, they barged into theatre premises, tore film posters and damaged hoardings. Policemen, who had rushed to the scene, caned the protestors and chased them away.

Following the incident, police have tightened security at more than a dozen other theatres screening the film.

BJYM leader Pradeep Kumar said theatres should stop screening the film as the tapes of Salman's conversations with Aishwarya Rai revealed his underworld links.

He said his party would continue the protests and warned that managements of theatres screening the movie would be responsible for the consequences.

BJYM activists set afire an effigy of Salman Khan in Karimnagar town. Branding him a traitor, they also shouted slogans against him.

BJP state president N. Indrasena Reddy has demanded immediate arrest of the actor for admitting that he had links with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.