Anti-CAA Protests Intensify Outside Jama Masjid, Section 144 Imposed In Parts Of Delhi

Hundreds of protesters gathered outside Delhi’s Jama Masjid after Friday prayer to raise their dissent over the Citizenship Law. As a precautionary measure, the authorities have imposed Section 144 of the CrPC at ITO, Lal Qila, Delhi Gate. Congress leader Alka Lamba was also present at the protest against Citizenship Amendment Act outside Jama Masjid. Prohibitory orders have also been imposed in certain areas of Northeast Delhi, which saw violent clashes last week. Bhim Army staged a protest march in Delhi’s Jor Bagh area.

Meanwhile, several people with their hands tied marching towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence to demand the release of Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Aazad and to protest the amended Citizenship Act were stopped in the way by police on Friday. Amid heavy security arrangement and drone surveillance, the protesters including Bhim Army members started from Dargah Shah-e-Mardan in Jor Bagh in the national capital and were stopped by police at a barricade en route the PM's residence at Lok Kalyan Marg.

They participated in the march with their hands tied, saying they did it so that they could not be blamed for violence and arson during the protest. They raised slogans of 'Tanashahi nahi chalegi' and carried posters of Babasheb Ambedkar and Aazad.

Several parts of Uttar Pradesh went offline on Thursday as state government amped up security and increased patrolling to ensure peace in view of protests against Citizenship Act.

Last week, several districts of the state had seen widespread violence after Friday prayers. As a precautionary measure, internet services, that were resumed after nearly a week, were suspended again in Ghaziabad, Bulandshahr, Meerut, Sarharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Agra, Sambhal, Ferozabad, Aligarh, Kanpur, Sitapur, Mathura and Shamli. Paramilitary force personnel and state police force will be deployed and drone cameras will be used to ensure security in several places on Friday, officials said.

Some 1,200 unidentified persons, including students, teachers and non-teaching staff of the Aligarh Muslim University, have been booked for alleged violation of prohibitory orders under CrPC section 144 by taking out a candle-light march on Tuesday.