Roger Penrose lecture marred by confusion

PUNE, Dec 18: Chaos prevailed at the Balgandharva Rangamandir premises during the much publicised scientific lecture by renowned mathematician physicist Roger Penrose here today, as police had to be summoned when the frenzied mob, shouted slogans after being denied entry. The lecture organised by Inter University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) was organised as a part of ongoing 15th meeting of International Society on General Relativity and Gravitation in the city.

The hall, with a seating arrangement for 1,000 people, was already crowded with 1300 people, including 500 delegates of the conference, senior scientists from the city besides others.

Finding it difficult to manage the crowd, the theatre management pulled down the shutters at 7 pm when the lecture began. Those outside, some of whom had come from Nashik and Aurangabad, began to shout slogans. When the situation threatened to go out of control, the police were called.