Anti-CAA protests: ‘Strategic failure’ of police, admn exposed

LUCKNOW Use of petrol bombs, bricks and illegal firearms by protestors during Thursday’s violence at Parivartan Chowk exposed the ill-preparedness and ‘strategic

LUCKNOW Use of petrol bombs, bricks and illegal firearms by protestors during Thursday’s violence at Parivartan Chowk exposed the ill-preparedness and ‘strategic failure’ of the Lucknow police and administration.

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Officials claimed that they were prepared, but a group of people turned violent unexpectedly, after arson and vandalism were reported at two places in Old city.

They said the situation was controlled effectively otherwise the violence would have escalated further.

Initially, police authorities believed that people would not turn up at Parivartan Chowk due to heavy deployment of force. They realised the situation when hundreds of agitators equipped with petrol, beer bottles, bricks and illegal firearms reached the crossing and resorted to violence, said a senior administrative official.

“A group of agitators started throwing stones on cops who were focused on one side of Parivartan Chowk towards KD Singh ‘Babu’ Stadium Metro station,” he explained.

The official said videos and photographs showed that hooligans used petrol and beer bottles to make petrol bombs to attack outdoor broadcasting vans of electronic channels. A video footage made available from an electronic channel showed a youth throwing petrol bomb inside the van to set it ablaze.

The broken beer bottles and petrol bomb pieces were recovered from the spot, he added.

He said footages suggested that the hooligans brought along bricks as the administration had cleaned the area only a few hours earlier. But three truck loads of bricks were collected from Parivartan Chowk and roads connecting to it.

“The hooligans also opened fire and put the police on back foot as we were directed to handle the situation without using excessive force,” said an ASP rank official present on the spot.

SSP (Lucknow) Kalanidhi Naithani stated: “We are not going to spare the hooligans. Operations are being carried out in Madheganj, Khadra, Hussainabad, Satkhanda and Golaganj to search for some identified people. As many as 112 people have been arrested and legal action is been initiated against them.”

Policemen handled the situation well and 16 of them were injured. The cops chased the protestors using tear gas shells and water cannons, he said.

3,305 PEOPLE IN HOUSE ARREST

The police refrained 3,305 people across the state from moving out of their house, said a press statement from the state government.

In an official communique, the government said 102 places across UP witnessed protests in which 112 people were arrested.

Protesters swamped the streets in Hazratganj, Thakurganj, Hasanganj and Wazirganj and damaged properties including over a dozen vehicles, said officials.

In these violent incidents, 18 cops were injured including 16 in the state capital.

Keeping an eye on social media platforms, the police arrested five people and registered 13 cases for inflammatory posts.