5 Dead, No Internet in 22 Towns: Anti-CAA Rage Flares in UP

Security has been tightened across the capital city of Lucknow.

Police personnel baton charge at protesters during their rally against NRC and amended Citizenship Act that turned violent, in Lucknow, on Thursday, 19 December, 2019.

(Photo: PTI)

Video Editor: Purnendu Pritam
Video Producer: Anubhav Mishra

At least five people lost their lives in Uttar Pradesh on Friday, 20 December, as protests over the Citizenship Amendment Bill and NRC flared across the nation.

Violence spread to more parts of UP where demonstrators clashed with the police, pelted stones at them and were met with retaliatory firing of tear gas shells from the security personnel.

Severe clashes erupted in Firozabad, Gorakhpur, Bhadohi, Bahraich and Sambhal when they were stopped from taking out rallies after the Friday prayers.

Protesters also pelted stones at the police, set motorbikes and cars on fire and ransacked police outposts in Hardoi and Farrukhabad.

Incidents of major violence were also reported from Kanpur, Hapur and Muzaffarnagar. Protesters

The state capital Lucknow and Aligarh remained largely peaceful.

Prohibitory orders under CrPC section 144 have been placed in the entire state since 9 November.

Tight Security in Lucknow after Thursday Violence

Tight security measures were in force in Lucknow with deployment of armed police to ensure peace and tranquillity during Friday prayers.

Police said there was no fresh clashes till noon and Friday prayers passed off peacefully, even though market wore a deserted look and internet services remain snapped.

“Muslim scholars of all mosques have been contacted and requested to help ensure peace and order. There should be no problem to anyone. We are personally moving around to see this,” Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi said.

Director General of Police O P Singh, who visited various parts of the state capital to review police preparedness, said all precautions are being taken to ensure that the situation remains peaceful.

Singh said that he has been going on foot at Hussainabad locality contacting Imams to maintain peace and not to provoke or incite any 'violence'.

Former Lucknow IG Navneet Sikera was also called to take care of old areas in the city, he added.

Senior police officers were seen taking rounds in the city, especially the sensitive Muslim-dominated Old City areas where a person was killed during the protests on Thursday, since early morning with heavy checking at different spots.

Police personnel and jawans of Pradeshik Armed Constabulary (PAC) have been deployed at all important places and patrolling was being carried out, officials said.

DGP Singh issued an appeal urging people not to indulge in violence and help maintain the peace.

Internet Suspended in At Least 22 Towns Across 15 Districts

Mobile internet and text messaging services of all telecom operators remained suspended in several parts of Uttar Pradesh on Friday.

Internet remained suspended pended in major towns in Uttar Pradesh, including Lucknow, Kanpur, Allahabad, Agra, Aligarh, Ghaziabad, Varanasi, Mathura, Meerut, Moradabad, Muzaffarnagar, Bareli, Firozadad, Pilibhit, Rampur, Saharanpur, Shamli, Sambhal, Amroha, Mau, Azamgarh and Sultanpur following explicit state government orders, telecom industry officials told PTI.

Internet services were also suspended in Bulandshahr district from 3 pm on Friday.

Awasthi in an order issued on 19 December stated that “messaging systems like SMS and WhatsApp and social media systems like Facebook and YouTube may be used extensively for the transmission of information like pictures, videos and texts that have the potential to inflame passions and thus exacerbate the law and order situation."

Broadband internet services were also suspended in some cities, including Lucknow and Ghaziabad.

In Ghaziabad, Jio users received a message that read, “As per the government instructions, the internet services have been temporarily stopped in your area because of which you are not able to use these services. You will be able to use the internet service once we get directions from the government".

(With inputs from IANS and PTI)