A protest against the amended Citizenship Act in Patna on Sunday turned violent, reported PTI. Several policemen were injured and an outpost and some vehicles were torched.
Violence erupted at Kargil Chowk area of the city around 5 pm. The demonstrators mostly included students of Patna University. The protestors shouted slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. They alleged that the legislation “targeted Muslims”. The ruling Janata Dal (United) and Bharatiya Janata Party coalition had both supported the Citizenship Amendment Bill in Parliament last week.
Patna Senior Superintendent of Police Garima Malik said a first information report has been registered against unidentified people. The police said they were trying to identify the people with the help of CCTV footage.
“Anti-social elements had made their way into the procession who indulged in violence and arson,” Malik told PTI. “A police outpost and four vehicles parked nearby have been set afire. About a dozen police personnel who were involved in maintaining law and order have received injuries.”
Some of the bikes torched belonged to journalists who were covering other events in the area, reported The Times of India.
Gandhi Maidan police station SHO Sunil Kumar said that police did not have any prior information about the protest. “I suddenly received a phone call from one of my superiors after 4.30 pm to deploy security forces at Kargil Chowk,” he told The Times of India. He claimed that the mob went on the rampage from 5.15 pm to 6.30 pm.
Later, personnel from a dozen police stations were deployed. Around 9 pm, SSP Malik carried out a flag march on Ashok Raj Path along with a huge contingent of force.
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