U.P. police put death toll at 19 in anti-CAA protests

Total of 327 FIRs, 1,113 arrests and 5,558 detentions so far

Smoke billows following violence during an anti-CAA protest in Kanpur.

Nineteen persons have died in Uttar Pradesh since December 10 during the violence in the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the State police said on Thursday.

The police have also arrested 1,113 persons and detained another 5,558 others under preventive custody over the protests. A total of 327 FIRs have been lodged so far.

Issuing an official statement, Uttar Pradesh Police, which had maintained silence on the rising death toll over the past few days, also said that 288 policemen were injured in the violence, arson and vandalism. Out of these, 61 received firearm injuries.

The U.P. police also claim to have found 647 shells of .315 bore and .12 bore weapons, 69 live cartridges, and 35 illegal country pistols from the protest sites. A police pistol was snatched by protesters in Sambhal on December 20, the police said.

SIT probe

DGP O.P. Singh has ordered an SIT to be headed by the SP (Crime) or an Additional SP-rank officer to probe the cases.

“The law and order situation in the entire State is under control,” the police said.

The police have also arrested 124 persons and lodged 93 FIRs for “objectionable posts, rumours and messages” posted on social media related to the CAA.

The State police also said that it had initiated the legal process to identify vandals and confiscate their property as compensation for damage to public and private property.

This comes in the background of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath promising to take “revenge” against those who damaged property during the protests by seizing their property and auctioning it.