Citizenship Amendment Act protests LIVE Updates: Toll climbs to 16 after violence erupts in Uttar Pradesh's Rampur, Kanpur; internet services restored in Aligarh

08:42 (IST)

Internet services remain affected across Uttar Pradesh

Internet services to remain suspended in Meerut till 5 pm on Sunday in view of the recent violence in state during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act. Internet services have also been suspended in Prayagraj district till Monday, reports ANI.

08:36 (IST)

Internet services restored in Aligarh 

According to ANI, internet services have been restored in Aligarh. Services were suspended from 15 December after violence broke out during protests over Citizenship Amendment Act.

08:24 (IST)

Internet services remain suspended in Jaipur

Internet services will remain suspended in the Rajasthan capital from 6 am to 8 pm on Sunday in wake of protest being staged by a community against the Citizen Amendment Act and the protest march being taken out by the ruling Congress, to be led by chief minister Ashok Gehlot.

Police commissioner Anand Shrivastav, in a letter to the Divisional Commissioner, said that the above measure is being taken as a part of security measures being taken to maintain peace and harmony in Jaipur.

Metro services are also to be shut from 8 am to 2 pm on Sunday in light of the protests. 

08:17 (IST)

65 arrested, 350 booked for violence over CAA in Ghaziabad

Sixty-five people were arrested and 350, including a former legislator, booked here for allegedly spreading violence over the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), police said on Saturday. A special drive has been launched to nab miscreants resorting to violence and pelting stones on police during protests, they said.

More than 65 people have been arrested and FIRs registered against 350 anti-social elements, Senior Superintendent of Police Sudhir Kumar Singh told PTI.  An FIR has been also lodged against former Loni MLA Zakir Ali, he added. Singh said miscreants have been identified and will be arrested soon.

08:03 (IST)

Narendra Modi to address rally in Delhi amid CAA protests

Elaborate security arrangements have been made for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally on Sunday at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan, which is a little over a kilometre away from Old Delhi's Daryaganj that was hit by violence on Friday during a protest against the amended Citizenship Act.

According to sources, senior officials remained in huddle till 5 am on Saturday to discuss the security arrangements. A multilevel security arrangement will be in place on Sunday, with CCTV surveillance of all the routes leading to the venue and snipers being positioned atop buildings to ensure security, they said.

The Delhi Police are in touch with the Special Protection Group (SPG) and the Bharatiya Janata Party for the security arrangements during the programme. The Delhi BJP has also deployed volunteers as part of its security arrangements for the rally.

In a statement, senior BJP leader Vijay Goel said preparations for the rally, which is being organised to thank PM Modi for giving ownership rights to 40 lakh residents of 1731 unauthorised colonies, are in full swing.

07:51 (IST)

Sonia Gandhi to lead Congress in silent protest against CAA at Rajghat tomorrow

Amid nationwide agitations against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the Congress, led by party chief Sonia Gandhi, has decided to stage a silent protest at Rajghat on Monday afternoon demanding protection for the Constitution and the rights of people as enshrined in it.

The decision to hold the silent protest was taken at a meeting of top party leaders at Sonia Gandhi's residence here on Saturday evening, sources said.

The leaders initially decided to hold the protest at Rajghat -- a memorial to Mahatma Gandhi -- on Sunday but later postponed it to Monday as permissions for the same were yet to be obtained from the authorities, the sources added.

07:46 (IST)

Jamia submits report to HRD Ministry, requests judicial enquiry into police action

The Jamia Millia Islamia has submitted a fresh report to the HRD Ministry requesting judicial inquiry into the entry of police on the university premises last Sunday. The varsity had earlier submitted reports in the matter on 15 and 16 December.

In the fresh report submitted to the ministry on December 20, Jamia reiterated its request for initiation of an inquiry committee or a judicial inquiry to the incident.  In its report, the varsity mentioned that police used teargas and lathicharge to disperse protesters gathered on Mathura Road and Julena Road. 

The protesters while retreating took Maulana Mohd. Ali Jauhar Marg, which passes through the university campus, the varsity said in its report submitted by the registrar of  Jamia. 

The police had on 15 December purportedly stormed the library while looking for 'outsiders' who were involved in the arson and violence during the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protest outside the campus. 

07:44 (IST)

Recap: One dead in UP as violence erupts in Rampur, Kanpur; tolls climbs to 16

One person died as clashes broke out during protests against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday, taking the toll in the state from Thursday to 16. 

One person died and several people were injured in clashes between anti-CAA protesters, who pelted stones and indulged in arson, and police in Rampur in UP, officials said. Protesters set ablaze Yatimkhana police post in Kanpur and indulged in heavy brick-batting, leading to injuries to many people including policemen, a senior official said. Police used cane-charge and tear gas to chase them away.

07:42 (IST)

Police reached out to people in several areas as part of confidence-building measure

As Delhi witnessed a number of violent protests against the amended Citizenship Act in the recent days, the Delhi Police on Saturday launched an exercise to reach out to more people in several areas as part of its confidence-building measures.

According to an official, groups of police personnel went to Seemapuri, Geeta Colony, Jagatpuri, Krishna Nagar, Gandhi Nagar and other places and thanked people for maintaining peace in these areas.

In a video of such exercise held in East Delhi's Geeta Colony, a police official was seen thanking people on a mic standing in a busy street. "Delhi Police thanks all the residents of the Geeta Colony police station area for maintaining peace. We are thankful to you for cooperating with us," the official said.

"We appeal to the residents to maintain peace and solidarity in the future as well. We are assured of it that the people of Geeta Colony will remain helpful and assist us in such law and order situation. We thankyou again for your cooperation," he added. Police said that such exercise will be conducted in more areas in the coming days.

Citizenship Amendment Act protests LATEST Updates: One person died as clashes broke out during protests against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday, taking the toll in the state from Thursday to 16. Internet services have been restored in Aligarh. Services were suspended from 15 December after violence broke out during protests over Citizenship Amendment Act.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally on Sunday at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan, which is a little over a kilometre away from Old Delhi's Daryaganj that was hit by violence on Friday during a protest against the amended Citizenship Act. In a statement, senior BJP leader Vijay Goel said preparations for the rally, which is being organised to thank Modi for giving ownership rights to 40 lakh residents of 1731 unauthorised colonies, are in full swing.

Meanwhile, the Congress, led by party interim chief Sonia Gandhi, has decided to stage a silent protest at Rajghat on Sunday afternoon demanding protection for the Constitution and the rights of people as enshrined in it.

Top leaders of the party including its former president Rahul Gandhi and its general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are likely to participate in the 'satyagrah dharna' till the evening, sources said. The decision to hold the silent protest was taken at a meeting of top party leaders at Sonia Gandhi's residence on Monday evening, they said. The sources, however, said the party was yet to get permission for holding the protest at Rajghat: a memorial to Mahatma Gandhi.

One person died as clashes broke out during protests against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday, taking the toll in the state from Thursday to 16. Large-scale vandalism during a bandh called by the Rashtriya Janata Dal in the neighbouring state of Bihar disrupted road and rail traffic. The Congress, Left and other Opposition parties led demonstrations in many states including Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Nagaland and West Bengal, demanding that the contentious law be scrapped.

One person died and several people were injured in clashes between anti-CAA protesters, who pelted stones and indulged in arson, and police in Rampur in UP, officials said. Protestors set ablaze Yatimkhana police post in Kanpur and indulged in heavy brickbatting, leading to injuries to many people including policemen, a senior official said. Police used cane-charge and tear gas to chase them away.

UP police said as many as 705 persons have been arrested and 4,500 were detained for the violence during the last two days. They said 260 security personnel were injured, of whom 57 suffered gunshot wounds.

A day after massive protests and clashes in the national capital, Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Azad was arrested when he came outside Jama Masjid, where he had taken part in a demonstration on Friday, and was later sent to judicial custody for 14 days by a court.

Police and paramilitary personnel carried out flag march in violence-hit areas, even as scores of people held peaceful demonstrations against the amended Citizenship Act at several places, including at India Gate, Jamia Millia Islamia, Rajghat, Uttar Pradesh Bhawan. Police said no untoward incident was reported.

Fifteen people arrested for Friday's violence in Daryaganj were remanded in judicial custody for two days, while 11 others were sent to jail for a fortnight in connection with the Seemapuri incident.

The situation in Assam, where protesters carried out rallies against the amended law, was peaceful while mobile internet services were restored in Meghalaya.

Thousands of university students hit the streets and marched towards state BJP headquarters in Kolkata demanding roll back of the law. A scuffle broke out between the police and the protesters when some tried to break through the police barricades and head towards the party office. The Youth Congress organized a march to Raj Bhavan in the afternoon.

In Bihar, carrying bamboo sticks and party flags, supporters of bandh called by Rashtriya Janata Dal, against the amended Citizenship Act gathered at bus stands, railway tracks and other vantage points in all districts of the state since the crack of dawn, unfazed by the winter fog and chilly winds.

They squatted on railway tracks, disrupting train movement, and blocked bus terminuses at various places to enforce the day-long bandh.

The protesters also smashed windshields of taxis and three-wheelers and damaged cycle-rickshaws that plied on the roads in defiance of the call for the shutdown at the towns of Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur and outskirts of Patna.

Protests continued in many cities in the southern states. CPM activist tried to block trains at the railway station in Chennai but their attempts were foiled by police.

The Congress in Kerala led by its top leaders held demonstrations in all district headquarters of the state. There were scuffles at several places in Tamil and Kerala between police and protesters who tried to break barricades.

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa visited Mangaluru and met the families of two persons who were killed in police firing there on Thursday during violent anti-CAA protests. Police detained CPI Rajya Sabha MP from Kerala Binoy Viswam and some party activists who staged a protest in the city against the CAA defying curfew.

Amid the countrywide stir against the Citizenship Act, BJP ally Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) urged the Centre to include Muslims in the new law by bringing an amendment to it and said there should not be any exclusion on the basis of religion.

"We strongly feel that the Muslim community should be included in it (amended Citizenship Act)," SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal said in Patiala.

BSP president Mayawati asked the Centre to give up its "stubborn stand" on the new citizenship law and NRC and withdraw its decisions as now "voices opposed to the CAA and NRC have started coming from within the NDA".

NCP chief Sharad Pawar said that like eight other states, Maharashtra should also refuse implementation of the new citizenship law, which he feared would hurt the religious and social harmony of India.

Unfazed by the criticism, the BJP announced that it will start a mass contact programme to expose opposition parties' "lies" and apprise people of the details of the law to assure them that it is not against existing citizens.

Party general secretary Bhupender Yadav told reporters that the BJP, within the next 10 days, will contact more than three crore families, organise a rally in every district and hold over 250 press conferences across the country.

Uttar Pradesh 

Despite restrictions on movement and Internet services, BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh, which was hit by large scale violent protests after Friday prayers, saw more clashes on Saturday.

Amid a bandh call in Rampur against the CAA, around 400 to 500 protestors, including children in the age group of 12-18 years, gathered at some distance from the Eidgah in the city and stones were pelted at policemen, leading to clashes, officials said.

"Of the five injured, four were referred to Meerut for treatment where one died, while another is in a serious condition. Around a dozen protestors have been detained," District Magistrate (DM) Aunjaneya Singh told PTI.

Samajwadi Party MLA Amitabh Bajpai was arrested as a precautionary measure and his vehicles seized in Kanpur, police said.

After a lull of four days, the Aligarh Muslim University campus again witnessed protests with hundreds of non-teaching staff joining hands with teachers' association to oppose the CAA and police action against students. The AMU has set up a one-man judicial panel to conduct an internal inquiry into violent incidents that took place on the campus on 15 and 16 December. Police earlier said at least 15 people, including an eight-year-old boy, lost their lives in the state since Thursday in the state.

Over 260 policemen were also injured, of whom 57 received gunshot wounds, IG (Law and Order) Praveen Kumar said. Director-General of Police OP Singh claimed women and children were used as "shields by the protestors". He maintained that police did not open fire and suggested the deaths were due to cross firing between protestors.

"We are clear and transparent in this. If anyone died due to our fire we will conduct a judicial inquiry and take action. But nothing happened from our side," he said.
So far 218 people have been arrested in Lucknow, he said.

Clashes with police were reported after Friday prayers from Bhadohi, Bahraich, Amroha, Farurukhabad, Ghaziabad, Varanasi, Muzaffarnagar, Saharanpur, Hapur, Hathras, Bulandshahr, Hamirpur and Mahoba districts and cases have been registered. Internet had been suspended in major cities, including Lucknow.

Bihar

Tejashwi Yadav, leader of the opposition in Bihar Assembly, marched in a large procession against the amended Citizenship Act from the party office in Bir Chand Patel Marg in Patna to Dak Bungalow crossing, throwing traffic on the busy Fraser Road and Bailey Road out of gear.

At some places in Patna, workers of the RJD, known for their strong arm tactics to enforce bandhs, presented people with roses and urged them with folded hands to support the shutdown in "national interest".

The shutdown, which came two days after a bandh was called on the same issue by Left parties, is being supported by other constituents of the Grand Alliance like the Congress and the Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP).

Movement of at least seven trains was affected for periods ranging from 30 minutes to over an hour at various stations, the East Central Railway, headquartered at Hajipur in the state, said in a statement.

In Muzaffarpur, the largest north Bihar town, RJD and Congress leaders sat on highways, major road and railway crossings to enforce the bandh. At places like Brahmpura, they clashed with shopkeepers who were reluctant to down their shutters.

Reports of the bandh disrupting normal business and vehicular traffic have been received from districts like Munger, Bhagalpur, Begusarai, Jehanabad and Nawada as well.

North East

In Meghalaya, curfew imposed in Sadar and Lumdiengjri police station limits in Shillong was relaxed for 16 hours from 5 am on Saturday and no untoward incident was reported in these areas in the past 24 hours, East Khasi Hills District Magistrate M W Nongbri said. Protesters took out peaceful rallies in Assam against the amended Citizenship Act at various places, police said.

The curfew imposed in Dibrugarh following violent protests against the Act was relaxed for 16 hours since 6 am on Saturday as the law and order situation improved, they said. Mobile internet services were restored on Friday in Assam after nine days of its suspension while broadband services had resumed on 18 December.

According to sources, the West Bengal police have stepped up vigil and beefed up security arrangements in various parts of the state in order to prevent any untoward incident.

The state had witnessed violence and arson from 13 to 17 December during protests against the new citizenship law. More than 600 people have been arrested so far for their alleged involvement in arson and violence in the state, police said.

Southern states

Senior Congress leaders including Ramesh Chennithala, Mullappally Ramachandran, Shashi Tharoor, Benny Behanan and M M Hassan participated in anti-CAA protests held in all district headquarters of Kerala.

In some places including Kochi, Wayanad and Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram the workers tried to break the police barricades and enter central government institutions, leading to minor scuffles with police personnel.

"It is a fight against authoritarianism and fascism. The government is using brute force to silence the people who are on the streets against the law meant to divide the people of the country on religious lines," Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Chennithala alleged while addressing the protesters.

In Tamil Nadu, outfits affiliated to the CPI(M) including the Democratic Youth Federation of India, and Students Federation of India attempted to block trains at the MGR Central Railway Station complex in the state capital, leading to scuffles with police.

Communist Party of India veteran Nallakannu led the march to Raj Bhavan as part of the party's "besiege Raj Bhavan" agitation in which scores of Congress workers, volunteers of outfits including the CPI-affiliated All India Students' Federation, took part.

They were stopped near the Taluk Office Road-Little Mount point. Protests were held at Kumbakonam and other parts of Tamil Nadu as well by various outfits including Islamic bodies.
During his visit to Mangaluru, Yediyurappa also met representatives of Christian and Muslim communities, political leaders and officials.

He appealed for peace and said he has instructed the district administration to provide compensation to the families of the victims as per law.

Curfew is in place within the city commissionerate till Sunday midnight in view of violence during Thursday protests. The chief minister promised relaxation in curfew. Six people, including CPI Rajya Sabha MP from Kerala Binoy Viswam were detained when they staged a protest in the city against the CAA defying curfew.

Police have restricted the entry of former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Mangaluru during the period of curfew. Meanwhile, as many as 1,100 academicians and research scholars from various universities across India and abroad as well as prominent persons released a statement in support of the amended Citizenship Act.

The signatories to the statement include Rajya Sabha member Swapan Dasgupta, Shishir Bajoria, Chairman, IIM Shillong, Sunaina Singh, Vice-Chancellor, Nalanda University and JNU professor Ainul Hasan, Abhijit Iyer-Mitra.

With inputs from PTI

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