New Delhi:
One person died and several people, including policemen, were injured as clashes broke out between anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protesters and the police in Uttar Pradesh's Rampur on Saturday, officials said. With the latest death, the total toll rose to 16 in the state.
Five two-wheelers, including one of a mediaperson and one of the police, and a car were set afire during the violence and five protesters were injured in police lathicharge, they added.
"Of the five injured, four were referred to Meerut for treatment where one died, while another is in a serious condition. Around a dozen protestors have been detained," District Magistrate (DM) Aunjaneya Singh said.
Around 400 to 500 people gathered near the city Eidgah to protest against the amended Citizenship Act amid a bandh call, he said.
"Over a dozen policemen also suffered minor injuries during stonepelting by protesters, including children aged between 12 and 18 years," Singh said.
Another dozen protesters suffered minor injuries in tear gas shelling by the police, he added.
A bandh call was given by the anti-CAA protesters in Rampur on Saturday even as section 144 of the CrPc, which bars assembly of people, is in force in the region and the internet remains suspended.
In Kanpur, anti-CAA protestors on Saturday set Yatimkhana police post on fire and indulged in heavy brickbatting, leading to injury to some people. Police had to lob tear gas shells and use canes to chase them away, and fire tenders were rushed to control the flame.
ADG (Kanpur) Prem Prakash said Rapid Action Force has been called out along with 'Vajr' vehicles to control the situation.
Samajwadi Party MLA Amitabh Bajpai and former party MLA Kamlesh Tewari were arrested as a precautionary measure and their vehicles seized.
Officials said crowds gathered in areas like Babupurva, Nai Sadak, Moolganj, Dalelpurva and Haleem College and police in large numbers was deployed to keep a watch over the situation.
