Navi Mumbai Mumbai, Jan 22 (PTI): Vehicular traffic on busy Sion-Panvel highway was briefly disrupted tonight after unidentified persons placed burning tyres on road to protest the forthcoming release of Bollywood film "Padmaavat", police said.

The incident occurred between Vashi toll plaza and Vashi village at around 7.45 PM when more than 25 protesters placed burning tyres on the highway, a top Navi Mumbai police officer said.

"Miscreants burnt more than seven tyres beforpe fleeing the spot," Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Hemant Nagrale said in a message.

The traffic was halted for about 20 minutes till the police removed the obstruction, he said.

An offence is being registered at Vashi police station and search is on to trace the miscreants, he said.

"Padmaavat", starring Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh, is based on the saga of the 13th Century battle between Maharaja Ratan Singh of Mewar and Sultan Alauddin Khilji of Delhi. The film is scheduled to hit theatres on January 25.

Rajput group--Karni Sena--has accused filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali of projecting queen Padmini of Chittorgarh in bad light and distorting history.