UP: 400 booked for violating Section 144 by organising candle march in AMU

The Aligarh Police on Wednesday has registered a case against 400 unidentified people for violating Section 144 of the CrPC (prohibiting unlawful assembly). The people organised a candle march inside the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) campus on December 23 in solidarity with those who have lost their lives in anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests. "There was no permission for the candle march. A case is registered against 400 unidentified persons for violating Section 144," Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Aakash Kulhari told news agency ANI.

AMU has been shut down till January 5 next year

On December 15, clashes broke out between the police and the students protesting against the citizenship law. The police fired tear gas shells outside the AMU after protestors pelted stone on them. The AMU has been shut down till January 5, 2020, in the wake of protests. Since the enactment of the CAA, which grant citizenship to non-Muslim minorities including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, Buddhists and Christians fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh, protests have erupted in various parts of the country including the national capital.

On Wednesday, the Uttar Pradesh Police constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe cases of rioting registered in Kanpur during the recent protests against the CAA. "The SIT would be headed by Additional SP (Crime) Rajesh Yadav," IG (Kanpur range) Mohit Agarwal said. "Other members of the team will include Circle Officer (Anwarganj), Station House Officer (Kakadevi), SHO (Barra), a police Sub-Inspector and a prosecution officer," he said.

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Thousands have been booked by UP Police so far

As per sources, the UP Police decided to constitute an SIT as Kanpur had witnessed the worst violence for two days among the many districts in Uttar Pradesh. The Uttar Pradesh Police has booked 21,500 people in 15 FIRs lodged at various police stations across Kanpur for the violence that erupted in the city over the weekend. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Kanpur Anant Deo said: "At least 15 FIRs have been lodged against 21,500 people in various city areas and 13 have been arrested so far. Twelve persons have been arrested by the Beconganj police while one man was held in Bilhaur."

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(With agency inputs)