Police put up posters of violent anti-CAA protestors in Varanasi

VARANASI: Uttar Pradesh Police has put up a poster having the photographs of protesters who allegedly instigated violence during an agitation against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) on December 20 in Varanasi.

These posters of several unidentified people held during the protest were posted on the wall of the Bajardiha and Bhelupur areas for the general public to identify them. The police have also promised the locals that they will be given a reward if they will help them to nab the trouble makers. They also assured that the identification of the informants will be kept secret.

It should be noted that several people have been arrested for protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). The protest turned violent after the police resorted to baton-charge to disperse the agitators on December 20.

The incidents of violence, arson, and stone-pelting were also reported from the various part of the state even as CrPC's Section 144 was imposed in the wake of deteriorating law and order situation.

A total of 10 people have died in Uttar Pradesh in separate incidents of violence during a protest against the CAA. Two people died each in Firozabad, Kanpur, Bijnor, Sambhal and Meerut. Amid the raging protests, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had appealed to people to maintain peace and do not believe in any rumours. "No one should take the law into their hand."

He had also stated that the damage caused to the public property during protests would be recovered by confiscating the property of those who were involved in arson. Apart from Varanasi, police-protestors clashes also erupted in Bahraich, Bareilly, Bhadohi, Gorakhpur and Sambhal on December 20.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, seeks to grant citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, Buddhists and Christians fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh and came to India on or before December 31, 2014.