Anti-CAA protests: High alert in Uttar Pradesh ahead of Friday prayer, Internet suspended in 21 districts

Security was mounted and patrolling intensified in sensitive areas across Uttar Pradesh to ensure peace during Friday prayers in view of widespread violence by those protesting against the amended citizenship act last week which claimed 19 lives. Internet services have also been suspended in 21 districts across the state

To avoid a repeat of last Friday's violence in Gorakhpur, police staged flag march in sensitive areas and held a meeting with peace committees in all circle and police station areas.

Paramilitary force personnel and state police force have been deployed, and drone cameras are being used to ensure security on Friday, Gorakhpur District Magistrate Vijyendra Pandiyan said.

Meanwhile, the process to confiscate the property of those involved in damaging public assets during the protests gained momentum as 372 people were served notices in different districts.

A Home Department spokesperson on Thursday put the death toll at 19 in the violence, which left 288 policemen injured, including 61 who received firearm injury. He said 327 FIRs have been registered and 5,558 preventive arrests made.

Initially, nine districts in the state had been marked for internet shutdown, but close to midnight on Thursday, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Avanish Awasthi issued an order that internet services in 21 districts would remain suspended till Friday midnight

The districts where internet has been blocked include: Lucknow, Hapur, Ghaziabad, Bulandshahr, Meerut, Kanpur, Ferozabad, Bareilly, Saharanpur, Bijnor, Rampur, Amroha, Bahraich, Muzaffarnagar, Sambhal, Shamli, Varanasi, Azamgarh, Moradabad, Agra, and Aligarh.

The internet shutdown is a preventive measure in view of the Friday prayers and possible protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

Internet black out is aimed to prevent the dissemination of information through social media in event of any trouble.

Earlier, internet service had remained suspended for six days in Lucknow and was restored on Wednesday night after violence erupted during the anti-CAA protests last week.

Additional Director General (Law and Order) P.V. Ramasastry said: "We have deployed security personnel in different districts of the state and held talks with the local people. Internet services have been suspended for a day, and we are closely monitoring content on social media."

Meanwhile, the frequent internet shutdowns have begun to cause resentment among the people.

Manav Agnihotri, a student in Prayagraj, told IANS on Friday morning that internet shutdown were adversely affecting his studies. "We have become dependent on the internet for studies and this is affecting my studies because I am preparing for civil service examinations next year."

Chhatrapal Singh, a retired government officer, was even more angry when he said: "If the entire law and order situation is dependent on the internet, then the government should permanently suspended internet in the state. This is supposed to be the digital age, but every two days, we face a network blackout."

Singh is particularly angry because he cannot communicate with his son's family which is living in the US.

With the New Year round the corner, the repeated internet blackouts have also begun to affect celebrations.

Almost everything -- from bookings to ordering supplies is done online these days. People have begun cancelling bookings for the New Year Eve parties because of this feeling of insecurity in view of the violence and the shutdowns.

Meanwhile, the police and para-military forces will be carrying out flag marches in communally sensitive cities and clerics have been asked to ensure peace after the Friday prayers.