Kanpur violence: 20 injured, including 2 minors and 7 cops

At least 20 people were injured -- nine with gunshots -- after thousands protested against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and clashed with the police after

At least 20 people were injured -- nine with gunshots -- after thousands protested against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and clashed with the police after the Friday ‘namaz’ in several areas of Kanpur. Of those who suffered bullet injuries, two were minors, aged 14.

A procession being taken out in Kanpur on Friday. (HT)

“Nine people with bullet injuries are admitted here. Three have bullet injuries in the abdomen, one in the chest and the rest have injuries in their limbs,” said Dr Sanjay Kala, head of surgery department at the Lala Lajpat Rai (LLR) hospital here.

Kanpur, which had not reported any major or pitched protests on Thursday unlike ten other cities of UP, had its internet services intact till Friday morning.

However, in the afternoon police began making announcements over public address systems in areas with mixed population. They tried sensitising people about Section 144 of the CrPC, which prohibits gathering of more than four persons.

Soon after the Friday ’namaz’, anti-CAA processions were taken out in several areas of Kanpur.

Protesters marched in a long procession from the Halim Muslim College to Phoolbagh — a distance of around 4km. Several protesters reportedly engaged in vandalism as they reached the ‘Yatimkhana’ and when police tried to stop them, they damaged a showroom as well as a three-wheeler.

They also pelted stones on the police who began to lathi-charge the crowd. However, given the sheer numbers, the police allowed the march to move forward, following which it remained peaceful.

Police also cane-charged a protest procession coming from Jajmau and Faithfulgunj at the Murray Company flyover, as it headed to merge with a march being taken out from the Halim Muslim College.

In the Babupurwa locality, an anti-CAA protest turned violent, as 13 people were injured. Somewhere between Bakarganj and Idgah, the protestors reportedly torched four vehicles, while the police allegedly fired 25 rounds. In the stone pelting by the mob, seven police personnel were injured. Police also fired tear gas shells and used cane-charging to disperse the mob.

When contacted, additional director general (ADG) of police (Kanpur zone), Prem Prakash, denied there was any firing. “I do not know of any firing. If at all it took place, then it must have been plastic pellets and so the injuries would be minor,” he said.

However, one of the injured at the LLR hospital, Md Saif said, “I have a bullet injury in my abdomen. The police engaged in unprovoked, aim-and-shoot direct firing at us,” he said.

Internet services shut down

Later in the day, the Kanpur district administration ordered the shut down of mobile internet services. District magistrate Vijay Vishwas Pant said, “Mobile internet will stay cut off for one more day -- till Saturday night -- in Kanpur.”

Within two hours of the protests intensifying in different parts of the city, the district administration also deployed extra police force. The DIG and PAC also reached the city.

Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Anant Deo said, “After the Friday namaz, a procession came out in Old City and clashed with police but nothing untoward happened. It was in Babupurwa that violence took place. After the namaz at Bagahi Idgah, the crowd came out and turned violent. It set four vehicles on fire -- two police and two private. Police fired tear gas shells and plastic pellets but the mob fired gunshots. Maybe those gunshots injured people. Thirteen people from that crowd were admitted at the LLR hospital. Apart from that several injured policemen were also admitted there. In total, 25 people have been arrested and more arrests will follow.”

Among those at the LLR hospital with bullet injuries, two were identified as minor boys -- Md Awez, 14, a resident of Begumpura in Kanpur, and Shadeb, 14, of Choti Bajariya area. Awez said he was hit by a bullet in his abdomen, while Shadab in the leg. “We were going home after the namaz when we were hit by bullets,” said Awez.