CAA: Mangaluru gets curfew break
Curfew was relaxed for five hours on Saturday in Mangaluru, a day after two people died in police firing in protests over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, while the death toll in violence-wracked Uttar Pradesh rose to 16 after another fatality.
Curfew imposed in Mangaluru Commissionerate limits was relaxed in two phases (6 am to 8 am, 3 pm to 6 pm) as the city remained peaceful after Thursday’s anti-CAA protest took a violent turn. But many citizens were disappointed with the police on not being informed in advance about the relaxation in curfew.
People rushed to stock up on essentials as soon as the curfew was eased.
Internet services, which were snapped on December 19, were also restored on Saturday night.
But public transport remained crippled as no buses operated in Mangaluru city limits. KSRTC buses coming from Bengaluru were terminated at Uppinangady, while buses from Hubballi halted at Udupi. Students, who wanted to visit their hometowns, suffered as a result.
The police too stepped up their vigil. Vehicles coming from Talapady were allowed to go further only after a thorough verification of documents.
The police had stopped more than 100 trucks from entering Karnataka at Talapady border since Friday evening.
Security was beefed up near DC’s office, Kandak, Falnir in Mangaluru. Rapid Action Force personnel in Ullal and Konaje police station jurisdiction staged a flag march to instil confidence in people.
Violence in UP, toll rises
One person was killed on Saturday after the police allegedly opened fire to disperse protestors in Rampur town, taking the death toll in the state to 16.
According to the police, protesters torched several vehicles and pelted stones on the security personnel near Jama Masjid area in Rampur.
Elsewhere in the state, a police post was torched in Kanpur as violence showed no signs of abating in the north Indian state.
Over 200 people, including security personnel, have been injured in the protests.
Azad in judicial custody
Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Azad Azad was taken into custody on Saturday and later remanded in judicial custody for 14 days by a court in connection with the Friday violence near Delhi Gate.
Delhi Police claimed that Azad had “instigated” the protesters. Fifteen others were remanded in judicial custody for two days.