Protesters torched vehicles as a demonstration against the Citizenship Amendment Act and police action at Jamia Millia Islamia University turned violent here on Monday, prompting police to fire in the air.
Police lobbed tear gas shells and also fired in the air to control the situation in Mau’s Dakshintola area. An eyewitness said protesters set ablaze 15 vehicles, including those of police.
Police, however, gave out a much smaller number of vehicles damaged.
Inspector General (Law and Order) Praveen Kumar said in Lucknow, "Three or four motorcycles were set ablaze.”
“The unlawful assembly has been dispersed. Additional forces have been deployed. Presently, peace and order is being maintained," he said in a statement.
Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi said senior officials are at the spot.
"The mob has been dispersed. Section 144 of the CrPC is already implemented in the district," he said, referring to the section that prohibits assembly of people.
UP Director General of Police O P Singh denied reports that a curfew has been imposed in Mau.
“Only Section 144 of CrPC is in place, and this should not be considered as imposition of curfew in the district. The situation is absolutely peaceful there and one or two motorcycles were burnt,” he said
Students of Jamia Millia Islamia and locals protested at Jamia Nagar in Delhi on Sunday against the amended Citizenship Act. Protesters torched four buses and two police vehicles as they clashed with police in New Friends Colony. Police baton charged the protesters and used tear gas shells to disperse the mob before entering the varsity campus, detaining several persons allegedly involved in the violence.
The Supreme Court on Monday took serious note of rioting and destruction of public property during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act across the country and said that "violence must stop immediately". The top court said it, prima facie, does not think court can do much in the matter as it is a law and order problem and police forces have to control it. The apex court, which agreed to hear on Tuesday pleas alleging police atrocities on students holding protests against the Act at Aligarh Muslim University and Jamia Millia Islamia here, said it will not hear this issue in such an atmosphere of violence.
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