Protesters burnt vehicles as demonstration against the controversial citizenship law turned violent.
Prohibitory orders were imposed in Uttar Pradesh's Mau district today after protesters burnt vehicles, threw stones at policemen amid clashes over the new citizenship law. Cops resorted to use of tear gas shells and lathi-charged the agitators.
Visuals showed cops trying to douse flames at the police station in Mirza Hadipura area after the protesters demonstrating against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, which was cleared last week by parliament, tried to set a portion of the police station on fire. Several vehicles were also set ablaze by the agitators as they took to streets.
The situation was soon brought under control. "The situation in Mau is completely under control now. Administration is keeping a close watch on the situation. Prohibitory orders have been imposed in the area," Uttar Pradesh police chief OP Singh was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
The clashes come as police crackdown on the students at Jamia Millia University in Delhi and Aligarh Muslim University triggered protests across the nation.
Gyan Prakash Tripathi, District Magistrate, Mau, said the protesters were upset over violence in Delhi, adding that police is examining the video footage to take action against the agitators.
Protests by students and others have erupted across the country over the new citizenship law that makes it easier for non-Muslims from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh to become Indian citizens. Critics say the law discriminates against Muslims and is against secular principles of the constitution.
On Sunday evening, a protest march by the Jamia students ended in a pitched battle with the police, vandalism and torching of vehicles. The police, who used batons and tear gas to contain the violence, later barged into the university and detained around 100 students. All the detained students were released around 3:30 am.
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