UP police releases video of anti-CAA protestors attempting to set cops on fire in Meerut

Amidst violent protests in various parts of Uttar Pradesh over the Citizenship Amendment Act, the UP police has released a video clip of protestors allegedly attempting to set fire to 30 policemen and Rapid Action Force (RAF) jawans who were inside a shop in Meerut. The incident happened on December 20 at the Lisar gate.

According to media reports, the protestors locked the shop from outside and subsequently set it on fire.

However, Sahni claimed that he reached the spot on time to rescue the cops trapped in the shop.

During the Anti-CAA protests that rocked the nation in the past couple of weeks, protests took a violent turn in Meerut with as many as six people reported dead in Meerut after clashes between the police and protestors.

“As many as 288 policemen were injured in violence that erupted across 21 districts. Sixty-two of them suffered firearm injuries,” Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP), OP Singh.

Meerut Police have initiated a probe into the Popular Front of India for a possible link into the violent protests that took place there.

Meanwhile, the Yogi Aditynath government in Uttar Pradesh has written to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)  seeking a ban on the Popular Front of India (PFI).

Sources on Wednesday informed that the MHA has received the UP government's request for putting a ban on PFI and is likely to take legal advice before proceeding. The ministry will likely take inputs from intelligence and central government agencies, including NIA, before reviewing the past activities of PFI.

On Tuesday, the UP top cop requested the home department to ban the group for alleged involvement in the violence that broke out during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (ACC) in the state.

According to the letter sent by Uttar Pradesh DGP Headquarter, members of PFI were involved in the violence that erupted in several parts of the state on December 20 in wake of anti-CAA protests.

Meanwhile, UP minority minister Mohsin Raza said that PFI is a part of banned Islamic group Student Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and is funded by Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI.

The UP government had arrested 22 members of PFI for their alleged role in violent activities during protests.

The new law promises citizenship to "illegal immigrants" belonging to minority communities from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh who fled religious persecution in the three countries. 

While critics say that the law is against the secular nature of the Indian Constitution and clubbed with the NRC may be misused to strip away some Muslims' citizenship in the country. 

The BJP, however, has argued that the law has nothing to do with India's Muslims and only helps those who fled religious persecution in the neighbouring countries.