UP police forcibly remove anti-CAA women protesters, detain hundreds

Shahira Naim

Tribune News Service

Lucknow, February 5

In the wee hours of Wednesday, Uttar Pradesh Police forcibly removed the anti-CAA women protesters from Jauhar Park of Bilariyaganj town of Azamgarh and have detained hundreds of protesters, including women and children.

Among those in police custody are Rashtriya Ulama Council general secretary Maulana Tahir Madni.

When repeated appeals by police did not deter the large number of women and students protesting there on the lines of Shaheen Bagh to disperse, police arrived around 3 am to press the protesters to leave immediately.

According to women protesters, a posse of male police started pressing them to vacate the protest site. When they refused the police used teargas shells, batons and rubber bullets against them.

In no time, there was mayhem as women ran helter-skelter. Many protesters were injured in the ensuing melee and others fled to save their lives.

Sources claim that hundreds of women have been arrested. No senior Azamgarh officer was ready to speak.

Earlier, in Etawah women protesters had been similarly removed by force in a midnight operation.

In Prayagraj’s Mansur Park and Lucknow’s Clock Tower despite several FIRs and arrests women have been peacefully protesting against the CAA for more than a fortnight.