Bengaluru, Nov. 2 -- A police order stopping all theatre performances at Bengaluru's Suchitra Film and Cultural Academy has sparked a debate over artistic freedom and the limits of police intervention in cultural spaces.

The Banashankari police issued the directive following a dispute during the October 31 staging of 'The Truth Behind Gandhi's Assassination', authored by Addanda C Cariappa, former director of Mysuru Rangayana. The confrontation led to complaints and counter-complaints, and an investigation is under way.

The police have instructed the academy to postpone all theatre performances until further orders. The directive also warns of legal action if any event is held and causes a law-and-order problem.

The decision has been c...