The Uttar Pradesh government has banned the entry of Trinamool Congress leaders in the state even as it claimed that 879 people had been arrested so far in the state for indulging in violence during protests against the Citizen (Amendment) Act in the past one week.
Altogether 19 people have been killed in the violence but officials have confirmed only 15 deaths so far.
DGP OP Singh told reporters here on Sunday that they would not allow any political leader to meet injured victims or victims’ families as prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Core were in force and it could make the atmosphere more tense.
A four-member delegation of All-India Trinamool Congress had come to Lucknow on Sunday to meet the grieving families of those killed during the anti-CAA protests in Uttar Pradesh. However, it was “detained” at the CCS Airport at Amausi in Lucknow.
The delegation was led by former Lok Sabha member Dinesh Trivedi. The other members of the delegation included MPs Pratima Mondal, Md Nadimul Haque and Abir Biswas.
“Our delegation is in Uttar Pradesh on a humanitarian mission to be with the grieving families of those killed and also to meet those injured in the incidents.” the TMC leader said.
Nadimul Haque said he and other party members sat on dharna near a hangar at the airport.
“As soon as we got down from the aircraft, we were surrounded by police and were taken by the police to a secluded spot on the runway,” he said.
On the other hand, the DGP said 879 people had been arrested and preventive action was taken against around 5,000 people across the state.
He said 135 criminal cases had been registered so far in connection with the violent anti-CAA protests and 288 police personnel had received injuries while 15 casualties had occurred.