The Uttar Pradesh police said on Tuesday that it has arrested 113 persons and lodged 18 FIRs across the State against persons allegedly attempting to vitiate communal harmony and spreading rumours, objectionable posts and messages through social media about the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
Of the 113, 28 were arrested in Mau district, the police said in an official statement. The Mau administration enforced prohibitory orders under Section 144 and suspended Internet services but there was no curfew imposed, clarified DGP O.P. Singh. Internet services have already been suspended in Aligarh, Meerut and Saharanpur, Mr. Singh told a television channel.
According to the police, the situation in Mau is now under control even as additional forces have been deployed there.
Mau Superintendent of Police Anurag Arya said the arrests were made on the basis of identification of persons from videos and photos of the incident. The process of identifying others allegedly involved in the clashes with the police, in which three to seven motorcycles were damaged or set ablaze and parts of a police station vandalised, would continue, the officer said. “All people involved in this, no matter what age they are, they will be identified and harshest action taken against them,” Mr. Arya said.
Protesters in the Mirza Hadipura area of Mau allegedly pelted stones at the police and torched some two-wheelers parked near the Dakshintola police station on Monday. The police resorted to lathi-charge and fired tear-gas shells to disperse the crowd. Some shots were also fired in the air, as per footage of the incident being shared on social media.
Serious charges
In Lucknow around 600-700 persons were booked under several serious charges like sedition for holding a protest against the Act in old Lucknow on December 13 without permission and for allegedly raising slogans against the Central government and the unity and integrity of the country.
Among those named in the FIR, lodged at Thakurganj police station, is the district head of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, Mohammad Qasim. While protesters said two-three of their colleagues had been arrested, there was no official word from the police.
Amid the protests in Mau, Azamgarh, Lucknow and Aligarh districts among others, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday instructed the State police force to “keep an eye on those spreading rumours” about the CAA.
CM’s instructions
He, however, did not mention any particular incident. The CM passed on the instructions to top police officers and administrative officials of the ranks of ADG, Commissioner, IG and DIG through videoconferencing.
The officials have also been asked to communicate with religious heads and intellectuals of various religions and tell them that the CAA is not against any caste or religion, the government spokesperson said.
