As the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act intensified across the country, the situation has turned violent in many places in Uttar Pradesh, prompting the administration to impose prohibitory orders in the entire state. After large scale rioting and arson took place in several places in UP in the name of anti-CAA protests, section 144 of the CRPC has been extended in the state till 31st January. Section 144 was enforced in the state on Wednesday night.
According to reports, eleven persons have died and many others got injured as the protests against the CAA turned violent in Uttar Pradesh in the last two days. UP’s Additional DGP PV Ramashastry also said that deaths were not caused by police action as the police have not fired a single bullet. Violence has taken place in places like Meerut, Bijnor, Muzaffarnagar, Firozabad, Sambhal and Kanpur etc. Along with section 144, internet connection is also snapped in 21 districts in the state.
UP police have informed that 218 persons have been arrested and 3305 detained for defying prohibitory orders. Protesters in the state vandalised of torched several police vehicles in Amroha, Bijnor, Muzaffarnagar, BulandShahr and Hapur, and police were unable to stop them even after using teargas shells and batons. Rioters resorted to stone-pelting and other violent activities during the anti-CAA protests. In several cities, self-imposed curfew was seen as shopkeepers kept their shutters down in fear of vandalism.
The UP government has ordered that all schools, colleges and universities will remain closed on Saturday. The 21 districts where internet services have been barred are Lucknow, Kanpur, Allahabad, Agra, Aligarh, Ghaziabad, Varanasi, Mathura, Meerut, Moradabad, Muzaffarnagar, Bareilly, Firozadad, Pilibhit, Rampur, Saharanpur, Shamli, Sambhal, Amroha, Mau and Azamgarh. The internet services will be restored only after a review of the situation on Saturday evening, govt officials said.
