Rampur/New Delhi: Violence broke out on Saturday during demonstrations against the amended Citizenship Act in Uttar Pradesh as protesters indulged in arson and clashed with police in Kanpur and Rampur, leaving one person dead, while large-scale vandalism and disruption of rail and road traffic were witnessed in other parts of the country as well.
At least 16 people have been killed in violence during anti-CAA protests in Uttar Pradesh since Thursday. The state police said over 260 security personnel were also injured, of whom 57 suffered gunshot wounds.
Protesters set ablaze Yatimkhana police post in Kanpur and indulged in heavy brick batting, leading to injuries to many people including policemen, a senior official said. Police used cane-charge and tear gas to chase them away.
One person died and several people, including policemen, were injured in clashes between anti-CAA protesters and police in Rampur, officials said. Five two-wheelers and a car were set afire during the violence and five protesters were injured in police lathi-charge, they added.
The situation in Assam, where protesters carried out rallies against the amended law and Bengal was peaceful while mobile Internet services were restored in Meghalaya.
Protests continued in other states, with many being led by Opposition parties. CPI(M) activists tried to block trains at the railway station in Chennai but their attempts were foiled by the police.
The Congress in Kerala led by its top leaders held demonstrations in all district headquarters of the state. There were scuffles at several places in Tamil Nadu and Kerala between police and protesters who tried to break barricades.
Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa visited Mangaluru and met the families of two persons who were killed in police firing there on Thursday during violent anti-CAA protests.
Police detained CPI Rajya Sabha MP from Kerala Binoy Viswam and some other party activists who staged a protest in the city against the CAA defying the curfew.
Amid the countrywide stir against the CAA, BJP ally Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) urged the Centre to include Muslims in the new law by bringing an amendment to it and said there should not be any exclusion on the basis of religion.
BSP president Mayawati asked the Centre to give up its "stubborn stand" on the new citizenship law and NRC and withdraw its decisions as now "voices opposed to the CAA and NRC have started coming from within the NDA".
Unfazed by the criticism, the BJP announced that it will start a mass contact programme to expose Opposition parties' "lies" and apprise people of the details of the law to assure them that it is not against existing citizens.