10 arrested from anti-CAA protest site at Ghantaghar in Lucknow; FIR against 100 women

Uttar Pradesh Police on Saturday arrested 10 people including a woman from Ghantaghar in the state capital, where an anti-CAA sit-in has been on since January 17, and booked 100 women protesters for violating prohibitory orders.

"A case has been registered against 10 women and 100 unidentified women for violating Section 144 of CrPC, while protesting at Ghantaghar. Apart from this, eight persons have been arrested. They are Puja Shukla and seven male volunteers," Station House Officer of Thakurganj police station Pramod Mishra said.

Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) prevents assembly of five or more people at one spot.

A woman protestor claimed that police personnel suddenly arrived at the site and arrested volunteers. She alleged that the cops beat up senior citizens and hurled abuses at women. However, the police denied the allegations.

"Their allegations are baseless. Action was initiated against those who flouted rules," Mishra said.

The dharna at Lucknow's Ghantaghar was on the lines of the Delhi's Shaheen Bagh protest against the amended Citizenship Act and National Register of Citizens.

Women protestors have said that their stir will continue until the Centre scraps the CAA and the NRC.

Nearly 20 people were killed in the state after violence erupted during anti-CAA protests last month.