Anti-CAA Row: HC Asks UP Govt for Report on ‘Police Atrocities’

High court asked the UP govt to submit a report on ‘police atrocities’ against anti-CAA protesters by 17 February.

A screengrab of the video, purportedly from UP’s Kanpur, taken during the anti-CAA protests.

(Image: Video screengrab)

The Allahabad High Court on Monday, 27 January, asked the state government to submit a report on allegations of police atrocities against anti-CAA protesters by 17 February, the next date of hearing.

A two-judge Bench comprising Chief Justice Govind Mathur and Justice Siddhartha Verma passed the order hearing a number of public interest litigations.

The court asked the state government to mention how many people died during anti-CAA protests and complaints registered against police.

The court also asked whether truthfulness of media reports in this regard has been examined or not.

About 20 people were killed during the anti-CAA protests in Uttar Pradesh on 20 December. Most of these deaths are due to bullet injuries but the police have owned up to firing in only one instance.

Manish Goyal, one of the advocates who represented the state government, told NDTV that five affidavits were filed from the government's side on 27 January’s hearing. He also told that the court wanted more clarifications from the state government. As per Goyal the government has given details of all the policemen who were injured in the violence.

The court demanded that the government should give autopsy report of those who were killed during the protests to their families, reported NDTV. The petitioners have alleged that it was not being done. The case will be taken up again on 17 February.