Protesters in Lucknow torched a police station amid massive protests over the amended Citizenship Act. Several vehicles were also set ablaze in the city. A television channel's OB Van was also attacked by the crowd in the middle of Parivartan Chowk following which police used lathi-charge. Section 144 was imposed across several cities as protesters took to the streets against the Citizenship Act. Buses were also torched in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal, where internet services were also suspended.
The protest has turned violent as the ground situation in Lucknow has turned violent. Several other cars and vehicles were also damaged by the mob that went unruly. Similar scenes were witnessed on roads leading to Lucknow's Press Club where several media crew were stationed.
Police resorted to lathicharge and used water canons to disperse crowd that just refused to move. The streets of Lucknow turned into a battleground as protesters defied police and continued their protest.
Earlier, in view of violence during demonstrations in different parts of the country against the amended citizenship law, the Uttar Pradesh police on Wednesday had said no permission has been given for protests as prohibitory orders are in place in the entire state.
"Section 144 (prohibiting unlawful assembly) of CrPC is in force and no permission for any gathering has been given for December 19. Please do not participate. Parents are also requested to counsel their children," DGP OP Singh said in a tweet.
Prohibitory orders remained imposed across Uttar Pradesh on Thursday.
The contentious Act seeks to grant Indian citizenship to refugees belonging to Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Parsi communities facing persecution on the basis of religion in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, and who entered India on or before December 31, 2014.
From the time the Bill has received presidential assent and became an Act, there have been violent protests opposing it in several parts of the country.
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