Lucknow turns battleground as anti-CAA protesters clash with cops

Uttar Pradesh witnessed violent demonstrations on Thursday (December 19) as protests against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) gathered momentum across the country. The police resorted to baton-charging and used tear gases in the state capital to disperse protesters, reports said.

A mob pelted stones and torched vehicles parked outside a police post in the state capital. Uttar Pradesh DGP OP Singh said police had to fire tear-gas shells to control the situation in Lucknow’s Madeyganj area. About 20 people have been taken into custody, he added.

Tension was palpable in some other areas, especially the Muslim-dominated Old City areas, and police officials were having a tough time maintaining law and order. Senior officers were camping in the areas disturbed by protests, reports said.

Meanwhile, Congress sources said, UPCC president Ajay Kumar Lallu was detained when he was leading a protest against the law his party says is discriminatory in the busy Parivartan Chowk, near the District Magistrate’s office.

Also read | ‘Shame, shame’ cry lawyers as Delhi HC refuses relief for Jamia students

In Lucknow’s Hazratganj, police resorted to baton-charging to disperse a crowd of demonstrators. A media OB van was also set ablaze, reports said. Photographs showed vehicles were set on fire in the city’s Hasanganj area too. Later in the day, DGP Singh visited the spot in Hazratganj where a violence had broken out.

Meanwhile, police said the situation is under control in Husainabad area. “Mob had turned violent but the (police) force didn’t lose their patience. The mob was dispersed forcefully so there was no loss of life or property. The force is now being moved to other locations,” said Lucknow SSP.

Internet services were suspended in Sambhal district after a public bus was set ablaze and another damaged as protests against the amended legislation turned violent, District Magistrate Avinash K Singh said. Protesters also hurled stones at a police station, Singh said. “Internet services were suspended to prevent rumour-mongering.”

A state roadways bus was set on fire in Chaudhary Sarai area of the district on Thursday afternoon while another was damaged, Superintendent of Police Yamuna Prasad said. Fire tenders were rushed to the spot.

This is the first incident of attack on state-run buses in the state in the wake of violent protests against the amended law. Section 144 of the CrPC prohibiting unlawful assembly is in force in the state and no permission for any gathering has been given for December 19, UP police chief OP Singh had said.

Police said the situation is normal in Lucknow’s Parivartan Chowk area. “It is absolutely normal here. About 300-400 people are standing here. We have taken their memorandum and are sending them back,” said SK Bhagat, IG, Lucknow Range. However, the police have received inputs about incidents of stone-pelting in Khadra, he added.

Meanwhile, several teachers of the Aligarh Muslim University held silent march opposing the amended act on Thursday, days after the institute witnessed police crackdown against its students who were agitating against the new legislation. The protesters, including a large number of women teachers, marched from the AMU Teachers Club to the Purani Chungi crossing and circled the campus.

(With inputs from agencies)