Six killed as CAA violence rocks UP; thousands rally in Delhi, Maharashtra, Gujarat

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 20

At least six persons died as violent clashes with the police rocked Uttar Pradesh on Friday while thousands rallied in the Capital and several other cities with Tricolour and ‘Save Constitution’ banners as part of raging protests across states against the amended citizenship law and the proposed NRC, prompting the government to indicate it was ready to accept suggestions.

There appeared political ramification of the continued protests as some of the ruling NDA allies, including JD-U and LJP, indicated their repositioning on the issue with the former claiming the party government in Bihar would not allow NRC to be implemented. The LJP said the government failed in dispelling confusion over the CAA. A car was set afire in Delhi’s Daryaganj area and protesters hurled stones at security personnel near Delhi Gate, while police used water cannons and lathi-charged a large group of protesters to disperse the crowd. Sporadic violence was reported from other parts of Delhi, Maharashtra and Karnataka-Kerala border areas as well, while authorities resorted to curbs on mobile internet and SMS services in various regions, including in parts of UP, Karnataka and the national capital.

OP Singh, UP DGP, said two persons lost their lives in Bijnor and one each in Meerut, Sambhal and Firozabad. But officials reported a death in Kanpur as well. He said over 50 policemen were injured.

Waving the Tricolour, crowds assembled for customary Friday prayers at congested Jama Masjid area in Delhi and staged a noisy protest. Towards the evening, a car was torched. The police resorted to water-canon bursts, tear-gas shelling and clamping movement on busy ITO road leading to India Gate where protesters assembled towards the evening.

In Kerala, police kept high vigil in northern districts in the wake of the killing of two persons in Mangaluru in neighbouring Karnataka. A series of protest marches and blocking of trains and buses took place in various parts of Kerala past midnight after news emerged about the deaths. The Karnataka police detained mediapersons from Kerala for entering a hospital where post-mortem of those killed in police firing yesterday was underway.

Delhi Mahila Congress chief and former President Pranab Mukherjee’s daughter Sharmistha and some other party members were detained near Home Minister Amit Shah’s residence during a protest against the CAA.

Several people gathered outside the Delhi Police headquarters demanding the release of around 40 persons detained during a violent protest in Daryaganj. (With PTI inputs)

Won’t implement NRC in Bihar, says Nitish

Patna: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on Friday asserted the NRC will not be implemented in the state, putting to rest speculation raised by his JD-U’s support to the Citizenship Amendment Act.

Open to protesters’ suggestions: Govt

New Delhi: The Centre is open to accepting suggestions, if any, from people staging protests against CAA, a top official said on Friday. “We are open to receiving suggestions, if any, from anyone on the CAA. We are also trying to remove doubts of people about the CAA through various ways,” the official said. PTI