IAS Aspirant Dies During UP Citizenship Law Protests, Cops Admit Firing

For the first time, Uttar Pradesh Police has accepted that they have opened fire during the protests that erupted across the state since last week after the agitation against the Citizenship Act turned violent. Fifteen people have died in the state, many of them from bullet injuries. But the state police had maintained that it has not fired a single bullet at protesters anywhere. But now, the police in western Uttar Pradesh's Bijnor have told NDTV that of the two protestors killed in the town, one of them, was killed in police firing.

Bijnor was among the Uttar Pradesh towns where fresh violence broke out on Friday over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. The police chief of Bijnor said that a constable fired at Suleman, a 20-year-old man, in self-defence.

"When one of our constables moved ahead to take back the gun that was snatched, a member of the crowd opened fire at him. He had a narrow escape. In retaliatory, self-defence firing, the upadravi (rioter or a vandal) was shot at," Bijnor Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Tyagi told NDTV. "His friends had taken him away. His name is Suleman and he died. One more protestor, Anis, died in firing from the crowd," the officer added.

Citizenship Act Protests: Suleman's family says he was preparing for his civil services entrance exam.

The police officer's statement directly contradicts the Uttar Pradesh police chief's stand. Denying that anyone died in police firing since the protests broke out on Thursday. UP police chief OP Singh had told NDTV on Saturday, "We did not shoot even a single bullet."

UP Police had said that only protesters were using firearms in the violence in the state. They have also said that several policemen have been injured by firearms.

Suleman's family says he was preparing for his civil services entrance exam and that he had nothing to do with the protests. They claim the police intimidated them.

"My brother had gone to offer Namaz. He was returning home after the Namaz to eat something. He had fever for the last couple of days. He didn't go to the mosque near our home. He went to another mosque. When he stepped out, there was lathi-charging and teargassing by the police. The police picked him up and shot at him," Suleman's brother Shoaib Malik told NDTV.

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday made an unscheduled visit to Bijnor and met the families of Suleman and Anis.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Act for the first time makes religion the test of citizenship in India. The government says it will help minorities from three Muslim-dominated countries to get citizenship if they fled to India because of religious persecution. Critics say it is designed to discriminate against Muslims and violates the secular principles of the constitution.