Allahabad High Court seeks report on police action in CAA protests

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Allahabad High Court seeks report on police action in CAA protests

The court also asked the government if the autopsy reports of those who died during protests have been given to their relatives

Monday January 27, 2020 10:19 PM, IANS

[Congress leader AM Singhvi addresses the media on the report presented to the NHRC by the Congress delegation on the atrocities orchestrated by UP govt against CAA protestors. (Photo: Twitter/@INCIndia)]

Lucknow: The Allahabad High Court has asked the Yogi Adityanath government for a report on police action against the people protesting over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in Uttar Pradesh in December.

The court was hearing seven petitions filed over violence during protests against the citizenship law last month and the crackdown by the police in the state.

"How many complaints have been filed against the police or government officials over the crackdown on protesters?" the high court asked the UP government, seeking a detailed report on police action.

According to Mehmood Pracha, the lawyer for one of the petitioners, the court also asked the government if the autopsy reports of those who died during protests have been given to their relatives. The case will be taken up again on February 17.

Uttar Pradesh had witnessed over 20 deaths during the "violent" protests, related to the citizenship law that broke out across many districts of the state in December. Most of these deaths occurred due to bullet injuries but the police have owned up to firing in only one instance.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had warned of a "crackdown" on the protesters and the government ordered that those found responsible for damaging public property during the protests would have to pay for it.

Congress Complaint to NHRC

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who on Monday along with former party chief Rahul Gandhi met officials of the NHRC, took up the issue of "police mitras", or friends of the police, allegedly involved in attacking those protesting against the CAA in Uttar Pradesh, demanding an "impartial probe" into the matter.

After the meeting with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) members here along with Rahul Gandhi and other senior party leaders, Priyanka tweeted: "Today, a delegation of Congress leaders led by Rahul Gandhi filed a complaint with the NHRC demanding a fair probe in connection with the vandalism and non-constitutional acts done by the UP Police on the people, women and children."

"Threats to BHU students to destroy their careers, excesses and repression on common people, killings of innocents - justice is required in all these cases through an impartial probe," she said in another tweet.

Her tweet came after the Congress leaders submitted "proof" on the violence in Uttar Pradesh over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) to the NHRC office.

During the meeting, Rahul Gandhi told the NHRC members that a systematic process is being put in place across the country to induct "police mitras" to brutalise people.

"What is taking place is against the very idea of India and the Constitution. We cannot become a country where the leadership brutalises its own people," the Congress leader said.

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