Lucknow: Ten people have died in Uttar Pradesh in various incidents of violent protest against the new Citizenship Act. Two persons died each in Firozabad, Kanpur, Bijnor, Sambhal and Meerut.
Amid the raging protests, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath appealed to people to maintain peace and do not believe in any rumours.
“No one should take the law into their hands,” Adityanath said in a statement.
The Chief Minister has also directed police to search for those who are misleading people regarding the Act and spreading rumours and causing violence.
On Friday, police-protestors clashes erupted in different districts of Uttar Pradesh including Bahraich, Bareilly, Varanasi, Bhadohi, Gorakhpur, Sambhal etc.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, seeks to grant citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, Buddhists and Christians fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh and came to India on or before December 31, 2014.
Section-144, prohibiting the assembly of more than four people in an area, was imposed in various parts of the state in view of the law and order situation.