Taj city remains peaceful

No anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests were witnessed in Agra on Friday as Muslims peacefully offered the Friday namaz and returned home. However, heavy security

No anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests were witnessed in Agra on Friday as Muslims peacefully offered the Friday namaz and returned home. However, heavy security was deployed across the Taj city, especially in sensitive areas, to prevent any violence from taking place.

Tourists take a stroll in a market in Agra on Friday, a day after anti-CAA protests erupted in several parts of Uttar Pradesh. (HT)

Internet was suspended in the city on Thursday-Friday night after protests erupted in several parts of the state. The police used drone cameras in Jama Masjid, Subhash Bazar, Shaheed Nagar and other crowded localities to keep a watch on the law and order situation there. Fire tenders were also stationed in several places and shops in Bijlighar market, Subhash Bazar and Chimman Poori Chauraha remained closed.

Talking about the safety measures put in place, superintendent of police (city) Boitre Rohan Pramod said, “There was no protest here. Muslims offered namaz peacefully and left for their homes.”

“However, there was heavy deployment of force brought in from rural areas and from across the city to tackle any incidents of violence. Our teams checked terraces in several places and drone cameras were deployed for surveillance in busy markets and sensitive localities,” he added.

Haji Bilal Qureshi,president of the Muslim Sarvdaliya Committee, said, “In all the major mosques of the city, the ‘jumah’ prayers were offered peacefully. We have the support of our Hindu brothers and other communities and have been living here for ages.”

He said that those who were against the CAA should take care to protest in a peaceful manner.