Anti-CAA stir: Clashes erupt in UP's Rampur; 1 dead

One person died and several people, including policemen, were injured as clashes broke out between anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protesters and police in Uttar Pradesh's Rampur on Saturday, officials said.

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 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.

More violence reported in the state with a mob torching a police post in Kanpur.

At least 15 people have been killed in violence during protests in Uttar Pradesh since Thursday.

The state police said over 260 personnel were also injured, of whom 57 received gunshot wounds.

Protestors set ablaze Yatimkhana police post in Kanpur on Saturday and indulged in heavy brickbatting, leading to injuries to many people including policemen, a senior official said. Police used canecharge and tear gas to chase them away.

After violence in Kanpur, Samajwadi Party MLA Amitabh Bajpai was arrested as a precautionary measure and his vehicles seized, police said.

After a lull of four days, the Aligarh Muslim University campus again witnessed protests on Saturday with hundreds of non-teaching staff joining hands with teachers' association to oppose the CAA and police action against students.

The AMU has set up a one-man judicial panel to conduct an internal inquiry into violent incidents that took place on the campus on December 15 and 16.

Police said at least 15 people, including an eight-year-old boy, lost their lives in the state since Thursday in the state. Massive demonstrations were held after Friday prayers as protesters clashed with police at several places in the state and hurled stones and torched vehicles.

Over 260 policemen were also injured, of whom 57 received gunshot wounds, IG (Law and Order) Praveen Kumar said.

Director General of Police O P Singh claimed women and children were used as "shields by the protestors". He maintained that police did not open fire and suggested the deaths were due to cross firing between protestors.

"We are clear and transparent in this. If anyone died due to our fire we will conduct a judicial inquiry and take action. But nothing happened from our side," he said.

"Of the 75 districts in the state, one-fourth have been affected where thousands collected after namaz and defied the law," he said on the violence.

So far 218 people have been arrested in Lucknow, he said.

Clashes with police were reported after Friday prayers from Bhadohi, Bahraich, Amroha, Farurukhabad, Ghaziabad, Varanasi, Muzaffarnagar, Saharanpur, Hapur, Hathras, Bulandshahr, Hamirpur and Mahoba districts and cases have been registered.

Internet had been suspended in major cities, including Lucknow.