Anti-Citizenship Act protests: UP govt to seize property of 498 persons for arson; imposes Section 144

As the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and NRC continues, the Uttar Pradesh government has notified as many as 498 people for causing damage to public property when the protests turned violent.

According to a circular, the state government has identified them as anti-socials who caused damage to public and private property while taking part in anti-CAA protests in different parts of the state. The government will now move to seize the property of the identified "anti-socials" and has informed the respective district magistrates.

At least 82 people from Lucknow, 148 from Meerut, 26 from Sambhal, 79 from Rampur, 13 from Ferozabad, 50 from Kanpur, 73 from Muzzafarnagar, 8 from Mao and 19 from Bulandshahar have been identified as those who damaged the public property during the CAA protests in the state from December 10-24.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday suspended the internet services in several districts as a preventive measure fearing more violent protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The government also imposed Section 144 in the entire state. 

The internet services have been suspended in 14 places--Bulandshahr, Agra, Sambhal, Bijnor, Saharanpur, Ghaziabad, Muzaffarnagar, Firozabad, Mathura, Shamli, and Aligarh keeping the current law and order situation in mind.

According to the data, prohibitory orders have been taken against 5,558 people. A total of 81 FIRs have been registered for posting objectionable content in social media and 120 accused have been arrested. Action has been taken on 7,513 Twitter posts, 9,076 Facebook posts, and 172 YouTube videos.  

So far 19 people have died in the protests in Uttar Pradesh. A total of 288 policemen were injured of which 61 policemen were injured by firearms.