Sixteen women have been arrested at Lucknow's iconic clock tower on Monday, 20 January, which became the focal point for protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register (NPR) in the city. Two daughters of poet Munawwar Rana were also among the women arrested, reports Hindustan Times.
The women have been identified and accused of "rioting" and "unlawful assembly" in three criminal cases filed by the Lucknow Police. About 50 women started an indefinite sit-in on Friday and the crowd increased to thousands even as the police were snatching away their blankets and food on Saturday night.
According to one of the FIRs, police has alleged that Sumaiyya Rana and Faujia Rana (daughters of Munawwar Rana) and two other women were present at the protest and misbehaved with a woman constable. They have booked them under section 188 (disobeying government order) and section 353 (deterring public servant from performing duties).
In the second FIR, police booked 18 people, including 12 women, for violating section 144. According to the police, roads were also obstructed for some time. More than a dozen vehicle numbers have been listed in the FIR for idle parking.
The third FIR was filed against two persons, accusing them of instigating people to protest in violation of section 144.
Police also filed an FIR against two people, identified as Laiq Hasan and Nasreen Jawed, for instigating people in the protest. According to a Hindustan Times report, they have been booked under section 505B (statement conducing public mischief) and 188 of IPC.
News channel NDTV quoted a police report stating that more than 100 unnamed protesters have been accused of "disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant", "assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of duty".
According to the report, 21 people have died in different parts of Uttar Pradesh during protests against citizenship law in the last one month, the highest in the country.
Hindustan Times reported that many children have also been present at the protests, catching the attention of the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights.
“Reports are coming from across the state. Children are being made to shout slogans, read anti-CAA, anti-NRC statements. This is violation of Juvenile Justice Act.”Shuchita Chaturvedi, Commission Member, State Commission for Protection of Child Rights
The commission member further added, “We received reports that some children were present at protest site. Also, some women are sitting on ‘dharna’ with children in their lap.”
(With inputs from NDTV and Hindustan Times)
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