UP shuts schools and colleges due to CAA protests: Reports

NEW DELHI: The Uttar Pradesh administration has issued an order for schools, colleges and universities to remain shut in the state on Saturday, December 21, due to the violent protests against Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 that erupted on Friday, December 20.

According to Hindustan Times, nine people were killed in Varanasi in a clash with police followed by a stampede that caused an eight-year old’s death.

The report further said that 3,300 people were put under house arrest which included activists Meera Sanghamitra, Arundhati Dhuru and Madhavi Kuckreja. Senior advocate Mohammed Shoaib and retired Indian Police Services officer SR Darapuri were also arrested.
Internet was shut down and Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, or CrPC, was imposed in 16 districts of UP. It prohibits an assembly of four or more people. A huge mass of the protesters, defying the rule, took to the streets to voice their dissent against the CAA, and a National Register of Citizens that might be introduced in connection to it, on December 20. The protest took a violent turn when the police fired at the protesters.

According to The Hindu , the Director-General of Police, O.P. Singh claimed that the police did not fire at the protesters. However, the Press Trust of India reports , through unnamed public officials, that the police opened fire in various places.

The PTI also reported casualties from Kanpur, Lucknow, Meerut, Bijnor, Sambhal and Ferozepur. Damage of public and private property was also reported from various parts of the state. Policemen were also attacked as per the reports. Clashes with police were also reported from Bhadohi, Bahraich, Amroha, Varanasi, Hapur, Bulandshahr districts.

As reported by HT, Yogi Adityanath, the Chief Minister of UP, blamed the “antisocial and anti-national elements” to be the cause of violence that broke out on Friday.

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