Clashes broke out between anti-CAA protesters and police in Uparkot Kotwali area of Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh here following incidents of arson and stone pelting on late Sunday afternoon.
Protesters set afire a portion of a shop in the area, vandalised a police vehicle injuring some police officers. At least five persons were injured, two of them critically, said officials.
Following the clashes, mobile internet has been suspended for a six-hour period starting 6 pm. A RAF of UP Police has been deployed.
According to the cops the clashes took place after some protesters, who had gathered outside a police station to ask for permission to erect tents for protection against bad weather, allegedly threw stones and vandalized the vehicle of a local police officer - the Station House Officer -, prompting the cops to respond with a lathi-charge and fire tear gas shells to disperse the mob.
Speaking to reporters after the incident, Aligarh District Magistrate Chandra Bhushan Singh said the violence was under control and the mob had been dispersed.
“(The) violence started around 5 pm when a local police officer’s vehicle was pelted with stones. Soon after, the mob started throwing stones at us to disperse them and we had to use tear gas shells. The situation is under control,” Singh said, adding that the cops were also investigating the role of Aligarh Muslim University students in instigating the crowd. He said the police were identifying them those incited the mob. “We are ascertaining the damages caused by rioters and penalty will be realized from them,” he said.
“We have held peace meetings and asked Muslim community leaders, including the Imam of the Jama Masjid, to act as interlocutors,” Singh added.