The Commissioner of Police, Bhaskar Rao has confirmed that 24 people have been booked and eight cases have been registered, post Section 144 being imposed in Bengaluru, reported ANI. The Bengaluru Commissioner of Police has also said that Section 144 will remain imposed on Friday, 20 December as well.
“Section-144 to remain imposed in the city till tomorrow. 24 people have been booked & 8 cases have been registered. Cases also registered against MLA Rizwan Arshad & Ramachandra Guha.”Bhaskar Rao, Bengaluru Police Commissioner to ANI
Just hours after Bengaluru Police Commissioner had ordered Section 144 in parts of Karnataka, including the capital city, two students were detained by the police for protesting at Town Hall in Bengaluru.
A group of 10-15 people were doing a snap protest around 11.30 PM when the cops arrived at Town Hall and took two of them away.
While the students have been taken to SJ Park police station, their lawyers have not been allowed to talk to them.
Speaking to The Quint, one of the students detained, Arfad tells that ‘four cops jumped on him and took away his phone’ while he was trying to shot a video at Town Hall. Asking him to leave at 12: 44 AM on 19 December, the cops told that Section 144 has been imposed.
Prohibitory orders under Section 144 have been imposed in Karnataka including in the capital city of Bengaluru. The orders come ahead of fresh protests which were set to be held on Thursday, 19 December against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
“Section 144 will be imposed for the next three days. Starting 6 am on Thursday till midnight on 21 December.”Bhaskar Rao, Bengaluru Police Commissioner to The Quint
Speaking to The Quint, the Police Commissioner explains the rationale behind this decision.
According to him, protests across the country in the last few days have resulted in ‘violent actions’ which have further created a lot of a ‘law and order problems.’ To avoid any such situation that might lead to the damage of public property or create law and order issues, the commissioner has imposed Section 144.
Prohibitory orders under section 144 prohibits assembly of five or more people, holding of public meetings, and carrying of firearms.
"It is just a precautionary measure as we did not want violence," Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai told TNM.
‘Fundamental Rights Stop When Someone’s Well Being is Affected’
When questioned on the decision to impose Section 144 in Bengaluru violating the fundamental right to protest , Commissioner Rao says,
“It is definitely against fundamental right, but fundamental rights stop when someone else’s wellbeing is affected.”Bhaskar Rao, Bengaluru Police Commissioner to The Quint
‘Anyone Who Violates Section 144 to be Booked Under Section 188 of IPC’
When asked if protests will be allowed in Bengaluru from Monday, Bengaluru Police Commissioner said he can't assure anything.
The commissioner also clarified that all permissions that had been given so far, for any protest to be held, have been recalled. He also says that anybody who violates Section 144 will be ‘booked under Section 188 of IPC’.
“Schools, colleges are other establishments will remain open. Transportation too facilities will not be affected under section 144,”Bhaskar Rao, Bengaluru Police Commissioner to The Quint
The commissioner has also reaffirmed that pubs and bars will remain open despite Section 144 being imposed.
Two Protests Were Planned For 19 And 20 December
A series of protests happened in Bengaluru with Tuesday's protest by students marking the third consecutive day of protests in the city. The protests intensified following the police action on students of Jamia Milia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University on Sunday, 15 December.
The decision comes after Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao said that ‘sit-down protests’ will be allowed in the city under certain conditions. He had indicated that students should not take to the streets to protest.
Earlier on Wednesday, Bhaskar Rao had stated that the police would allow sit-in protests but not allow marches or rallies. He had also stated that he was not happy with protests erupting in Bengaluru due to violence that took place in other states.
At least two protests were planned in Bengaluru on Thursday and one on Friday, 20 December.
On Thursday, a protest is planned to be held at Town Hall at 11 am under the banner of ''Hum Bharat ke Log'', which is supported by NGOs, citizen groups and the major opposition parties, including the Congress and the NCP. Left-parties including CPI(M), CPI and CPI(ML) also plan to hold an agitation against NRC and CAA at Mysore Bank Circle at 11 am.
On Friday, 20 December, students from various colleges in Bengaluru plan to hold a second protest at 5 pm at the Town Hall.
Organisers of Thursday's protest at Town Hall stated that they intend to go ahead with the protest despite prohibitory orders in place.
Earlier on Wednesday, 17 December prohibitory orders under section 144 were imposed in Mangaluru starting at 9 pm on Wednesday night until midnight on Friday.
(With Inputs from The News Minute.)
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