Protest against CAA in UP's Muzaffarnagar, section 144 imposed

Protesters holding posters staged a demonstration against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar on Friday. Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) has been imposed. It prohibits an assembly of more than four people in an area. Several police officials were also present at the spot.

In Gorakhpur, both protesters and police officials pelted stones at each other. Policemen equipped with riot gears, retaliated by throwing the stones back towards the protesters.

Internet services suspended

Violence also erupted in Bulandshahr where protesters resorted to arson, vandalism and stone-pelting at the police. The rioters also set a vehicle on fire. To control them, the police fired tear-gas shells and also pelted stones at the protesters in retaliation. Protesters went berserk in Kanpur, Firozabad, Bijnor, Hapur, Muzaffarnagar, Gorakhpur and many other areas. Internet services were suspended in Bulandshahr district from 3 pm on Friday in view of anti-citizenship law protests, officials said. The ordered has been issued to contain the spread of rumours and misinformation on social media, District Magistrate Ravindra Kumar said. Mobile internet and text messaging services remained suspended in several districts of Uttar Pradesh, including Lucknow, on Friday in view of protests against the CAA.

Protests turn violent in UP

At least 3,000 people across Uttar Pradesh, including 350 in Lucknow, have been arrested since Thursday night in connection with the protests against the recently amended citizenship law, police officials said. Security has also been beefed up across the state, as police have registered 19 FIRs against unknown people, of which 17 were 'named'. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath condemned violent protests and vowed to take "revenge" against the miscreants for damaging public property. He said the losses caused will be compensated from the pockets perpetrators of yesterday's violence.

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The law offers citizenship to Pakistani, Afghan and Bangladeshi illegal immigrants who fled their home countries to escape religious persecution. It covers six minority religious groups, but not Islamic ones. The government has pointed out that the law won't take citizenship away from Indians, denied the charge that it is anti-Muslim, and promised to protect locals' rights in the Northeast, where there are fears of a threat to their social and cultural identity.

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(With ANI inputs)