UP on high alert, internet suspended ahead of Friday prayers

Lucknow, Dec 26: Uttar Pradesh on high alert and internet service has been suspended in eight districts until tomorrow evening over concerns of further protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act erupting after the Friday prayers.

Internet connectivity was suspended in western Uttar Pradesh's Bijnor, Bulandshahar, Muzaffarnagar, Agra, Firozabad, Sambhal, Aligarh and Ghaziabad, keeping in mind the widespread violence that hit the state last week during protests against the amended citizenship law.

To avoid a repeat of last Friday's violence in Gorakhpur, police staged a flag march in sensitive areas and held a meeting with peace committees in all circle and police station areas.

Paramilitary force personnel and state police force will be deployed and drone cameras will be used to ensure security on Friday, DM Vijyendra Pandiyan said.

Meanwhile, the process to confiscate the property of those involved in damaging public assets during the protests gained momentum with 372 persons being served notices in different districts.

A home department spokesperson on Thursday put the death toll at 19 in the violence last week, which left 288 policemen injured, including 61 who received firearm injury.

He said 327 FIRs have been registered and 5,558 preventive arrests made. Official sources said more district administrations issued notices to people to make them pay for the losses caused by them in arson and stone-pelting.

The maximum 200 notices were issued in Moradabad followed by 110 in Lucknow, 34 in Gorakhpur and 29 in Firozabad, an official spokesman said. In the entire state 1,113 persons have been arrested for their alleged involvement in violence.

A report from Sambhal said the district administration has issued notices to 26 people for their alleged involvement in damaging properties during protests against the amended citizenship law, asking them to explain their position or pay for the losses.

Superintendent of Police, Sambhal, Yamuna Prasad said posters of 150 people have been released and 55 have been identified for their involvement in violent protests.

A preliminary probe in anti-CAA violence in Kanpur suggested role of Bangladeshis and Kashmiris, police said. "Police investigation has revealed that violence during the protests against CAA on two consecutive days on Friday and Saturday in Kanpur happened in an organised manner," Senior Superintendent of Police (Kanpur) Anand Deo Tiwari said.

"Preliminary probe suggested the involvement of people including Bangladeshis and Kashmiris," he said, adding there was "ample evidence" to strongly indicate their involvement.

Some 1,200 unidentified persons, including students, teachers and non-teaching staff of the Aligarh Muslim University, have been booked for alleged violation of prohibitory orders under CrPC section 144 by taking out a candle-light march on Tuesday.

The march was taken out as a mark of protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and express solidarity with those who lost their lives during the stir against the contentious law.

with PTI inputs