Lucknow: Security was beefed up and patrolling intensified in Uttar Pradesh to ensure peace ahead of the Friday prayers, keeping in mind the widespread violence that hit the state last week during protests against the amended citizenship law.
As a precautionary measure, internet services, that were resumed after nearly a week, were suspended again in Ghaziabad, Bulandshahr, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar and Shamli. In Agra also, the services will remain suspended from 8 am till 6 pm on Friday, a senior police official said.
To avoid a repeat of last Friday’s violence in Gorakhpur, police staged a flag march in sensitive areas and held a meeting with peace committees in all circle and police station areas. Paramilitary force personnel and state police force will be deployed and drone cameras will be used to ensure security on Friday, DM Vijyendra Pandiyan said.
Meanwhile, the process to confiscate the property of those involved in damaging public assets during the protests gained momentum with 372 people being served notices in different districts. A home department spokesperson on Thursday put the death toll at 19 in the violence last week, which left 288 policemen injured, including 61 who received firearm injury.
Official sources said more district administrations issued notices to people to make them pay for the losses caused by them in arson and stone-pelting. (PTI)
