Anti-CAA protests: Mobile internet, SMS remain shut in parts of UP, including Lucknow

Internet services were also not available in Sambhal, Aligarh, Mau, Ghaziabad, Azamgarh and Bareilly districts

A view of old city area of Lucknow after police dispersed the crowd by lobbing tear gas.

Mobile internet and text messaging services of all telecom operators remained suspended in Lucknow and some other parts of Uttar Pradesh on Friday in view of protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

In Lucknow, the suspension was announced on Thursday.

Additional Chief Secretary Awanish Kumar Awasthi had on Thursday night issued an order to suspend the services till Saturday noon.

Internet services were also not available in Sambhal, Aligarh, Mau, Ghaziabad, Azamgarh and Bareilly districts even as Section 144 of the CrPC, prohibiting assembly of four or more people, was already in force in the entire State for several days.

A 25-year-old man was killed as violence erupted here and some other parts of the State, with protesters angry over the amended citizenship law pelting stones at police and torching vehicles.

In Ghaziabad, Jio users received a message that read, “As per the government instructions, the internet services have been temporarily stopped in your area because of which you are not able to use these services. You will be able to use the internet service once we get directions from the government.”