"Monitoring Some Social Media Accounts": Delhi Police On Violent Protests Over Citizenship Act

Some social media handles are being closely monitored by police to check the spread of wrong information in the national capital amid protests over the amended citizenship law, officials said on Wednesday.

A number of miscreants involved in Tuesday's violence in the northeast district of Delhi were identified and action will be taken against them after the assessment of the video footage received from drone cameras.

Eight people have already been arrested so far for their alleged involvement in the violence at Jaffrabad and Seelampur during protests against the new citizenship law and three FIRs have been registered.

"We are monitoring some social media accounts to check the spread of misinformation. Appropriate action will be taken if anyone is found violating the laws," a senior official said.

The police used drones extensively during the violent protests in the northeast district on Tuesday and their video footage is being assessed so that the miscreants involved in the violence can be identified and action can be taken.

The situation in Delhi is peaceful, but prohibitory orders under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) have been imposed in some localities in northeast Delhi, the official said.

Except at Road No 13 near the Jamia Millia Islamia University, there is no protest anywhere in the city, another official said.

Besides, no protest is taking place in any of the 42 central universities in the country, the official said.

Students and local residents staged protests against the amended Citizenship Act at Jamia Millia Islamia University on Sunday, leading to violence and police action.

Violent protests were witnessed in northeast Delhi on Tuesday that forced the police to use tear gas and resort to lathi-charge, police said.

The government has not ordered any judicial inquiry into the incidents of violence, including those in Jamia, as the matter is sub-judice.

Under the new law, members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who faced religious persecution in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan and came to India till December 31, 2014, will not be treated as illegal immigrants but will be given Indian citizenship.

The act got the approval of the parliament and was assented by the President last week.