While protests across the country have seen students being fired at, peaceful protestors being detained and also suspension of internet, Uttar Pradesh has become a state that has seen the worst until now. With a BJP government in majority, and a Chief Minister like Yogi Adityanath who conforms to the Centre’s plan of action, Uttar Pradesh has become the worst example of excessive police action by a force which has been clearly given a free hand by the state with one agenda, to create and establish a climate of fear among people. This is being done to subdue the masses and to dissuade them from agitating against the government.
Here’s a look at how 9 major districts in Uttar Pradesh have suffered in terms of deaths, detention of minors, rampant arrests, filing of FIRs, destruction of property, seizure of property which is reflective of the vengeance of the state government against protestors and the Muslim community.
Following is a District wise list of police atrocities and state action which has unleashed a climate of fear, starting with the worst affected area and continuing with the lesser affected ones.
Muzaffarnagar
Mobile and landline telephone services blocked; internet suspended since December 19.
As many as 3,000 unidentified persons booked; additionally, 262 identified persons have also been booked.
72 persons have been arrested so far, 40 of which are students of Saadat Madrassa.
More than 67 shops sealed in Meenakshi Chowk and Kachchi Sadak localities in Muzaffarnagar; Meenakshi Chowk being the hub of Muslim businessmen.
Property has been seized by government for non-payment of land revenue in Meenakshi Chowk.
UP police allegedly vandalised the house of Haji Hamid Hasan after he and his son took part in protests; they looted jewellery and cash of Rs. 5 lakh at gun point.
Around 70-100 men allegedly broke the lock of 74-year-old Anwar Ilahi’s home, smashed his car’s glass, stole Rs. 3.5 lakhs and destroyed property in his 3-storeyed home; he said not all men were in police uniform.
Meerut
5 persons have died in police violence
43 persons have been arrested
172 identified persons have been booked
Police in Meerut have filed cases against people who have died in police firing.
A fact-finding report found that no FIR is being accepted by the police on behalf of the family members of the deceased. The situation in the Muslim neighbourhoods remains tense, the families are anticipating more police raids
The worth of damage to property was assessed to be at Rs 14 lakh and District administration blamed 141 people for the damages
Bijnor
Internet has been suspended since December 20
2 persons have been killed allegedly due to police action – one was a UPSC aspirant and the other was a father to a 7-month-old, neither of them had taken part in the protests.
As many as 3,000 unidentified persons have been booked by the police
104 persons have been detained, 21 of which are minors – who have now been released
These detainees, including minors, were reportedly beaten up while in detention.
153 persons have been arrested, some of them have even been booked under section 307 (murder) of IPC
In Nehtaur, Police allegedly vandalized people’s homes, harassed women and threatened their children to disclose the location of the male members of their families.
Aligarh Muslim University
The Vice-Chancellor and Registrar of University allowed police to enter campus
Police used tear gas, pellet guns, pistols, rifles, stun grenades on students.
A student who was running away from the violence was hit by a stun grenade. He lost his dominant hand and in his other hand, he lost 4 fingers.
The police used abusive language, communal slurs and there are videos showing ruthless beating of students above waist height and RAF (Rapid Action Force) personnel pointing guns at male students.
Police even damaged university and student’s property on campus. Police forced students to recite Jai Shri Ram, abused with words like Pakistani, Deshdrohi (traitor), attankwadi (terrorist), anti-national.
FIRs have been filed against 1,200 unnamed students.
Kanpur
Internet has been suspended since December 20
As many as 21,500 unidentified persons have been booked by the police
729 persons have been detained
13 persons have been arrested, including SP MLA Amitabh Bajpai and former MLA Kamlesh Tewari. Most of the persons arrested belong to PFI (popular Front of India) and AIMIM.
3 persons have died, 9 have been injured due to gunshot wounds and 11 more have been injured owing to other police atrocities
Begumganj saw nearly 100 policemen allegedly breaking open the shutter of shops and damaging parked vehicles
Lucknow
Internet was suspended on December 19 and December 20
54 persons have been booked including 4 TMC MPs and activist Deepak Kabir
More than 1,000 persons are under house arrest, including retired police officer SR Darapuri, Sandeep Pandey a Magsaysay award winner.
Advocate Mohd Shoaib has been detained by police and his whereabouts are unknown; Mohd Shoaib’s wife, Arundhati Dhuru, and activists Meera Sanghamitra and Madhvi Kukreja were detained for several hours when they went to the police station to inquire about Shoaib.
Sadaf Jafar, activist and member of Congress party, has also been in police custody since December 19. She has, reportedly, been beaten up in custody and no medical help has been provided to her or any of the other persons arrested.
Gorakhpur
Internet has been suspended since December 20
More 1,000 unidentified persons have been booked and additionally, 36 identified persons have been booked.
More than 60 persons have been detained and 26 have been arrested.
District administration has sent show cause notices to 33 persons for seizure of property claiming damages to public property in protests.
Sambhal
Internet is suspended since December 19
2 persons have died
19 identified persons have been booked; 250 unidentified persons have been booked
30 people have been arrested, including SP Leader Shafiqur R. Barq and Feroz Khan
Varanasi
Internet has been suspended since December 20
6 people have died, including an 8-year-old minor
57 persons have been booked under grievous offences
218 persons including students and activists, have been arrested; out of which are 69 activists
Rampur
Internet was shut-down between December 20 to 22
1 person has died in firing
150 identified persons have been booked
33 persons have been arrested
Notices have been issued to 28 persons for damages to public property which has been assessed at Rs. 25 lakhs
More than 1,100 people have been arrested and 5,558 kept in preventive detention in UP