Anti-CAA protesters in Etawah lathi-charged by U.P. police

‘Our brothers, cousins were beaten up and we were abused’

People protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act were allegedly lathicharged by police in a Muslim-dominated area in Uttar Pradesh’s Etawah district.

A video of the Etawah incident, where policemen can be seen using batons and chasing away protesters in the area late on Tuesday night, has also gone viral on social media.

Violence broke out when police tried to disperse the protesters who were observing a sit-in since Tuesday morning in Pachraha area, defying prohibitory orders imposed there.

“Police used force against us while we were holding a peaceful protest. Our brothers and cousins were beaten up and we were abused,” one of the women protesters said.

Responding to the allegations, police said the protesters had staged a dharna defying prohibitory order in the area and pelted them with stones. Police said they had to use mild force to chase the protesters away.

Solidarity protest

In the video, policemen can be seen entering houses and shops. The sit-in was organised in solidarity with the women protesting at Shaheen Bagh in Delhi.

“Police are citing prohibitory orders to end our protest. What about the large public meetings being held by Ministers,” asked another protester.