Chennai: Cops lathicharge protesters demonstrating against CAA, NRC in Washermanpet, several injured

Several demonstrators at an anti-Citizenship Act protest were injured in Washermanpet, Chennai after police resorted to lathi charge.

Scores of people had gathered in protest against the CAA, NRC, and NPR. Situation escalated after some demonstrators were forcibly removed from the protest site, leading to a scuffle between them and the cops.

Cops had lathi-charged protesters to remove them and clear the area when the protestors did not budge.

Over 1,000 women have now started a sit-in protest at the area.

According to the police, some protesters hurled stones and chappals injuring some policemen. This prompted the police to resort to mild baton charge.

According to police four cops, including a woman deputy commissioner, two women personnel and a sub-inspector were injured in stone-pelting even as there were reports that some protesters were also hurt.

Around 150 protesters were detained. Consequently, several more people gathered there demanding their release. The situation is said to be under control now.

AK Viswanathan, Chennai Police Commissioner holds talks with protestors in Washermanpet. Some of the protesters who were detained during the anti-CAA and NRC protest have now been released.

"An amicable decision was arrived at in the meeting with Muslim organisations and they have announced that the agitation will be withdrawn," a police officer said, adding that normalcy had returned to the area.

According to report in The Indian Express, a senior cop said the police force had stayed away from protest sites so far. “But this was an attempt to create a Shaheen Bagh model protest. We didn’t intervene until they declared that they will continue the protest. We tried to speak to them but it did not help. When arguments broke out, a few stones were thrown at officers. Then we had to forcefully evict them. There was no lathicharge, barring isolated cases when officers and protesters engaged in a scuffle. We will continue to handle all protests peacefully,” he said.

“As people started running fearing a lathicharge, there was almost a stampede. A 70-year old man from Sajja Munusamy street got trapped in the crowd, collapsed and died. We have come to know that he was in the hospital and had returned home only a day before,” said one of the leaders of the protest to Indian Express

Condemning the police action on late Friday against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) protesters, DMK President on Saturday urged the Tamil Nadu government to withdraw the cases against them.

He also said the state government should permit holding of democratic peaceful protests. Stalin said the protests were held peacefully demanding the state government to pass a resolution against the CAA on Thursday evening.

The police had picked up some protesters as they had assembled in a locality to protest without permission.

In a statement MMK leader M.H. Jawahirullah condemned the police action.

He said Tamil Nadu police has been denying permission to hold protests in Chennai, Madurai and other places similar to that of being held in Delhi's Shaheen Bagh.

Jawahirullah said the police had not kept their word of giving permission to hold anti-CAA protest when approached. The protesters decided to hold protest on Friday and the police took action against them.

He also demanded action against the police officials and release of those arrested.