UP Burns Over Anti-CAA Protests: Who’s Responsible for 18 Deaths?

18 people have been killed in anti-CAA protests in UP. Who’s responsible for these deaths?

So why has UP witnessed such a high number of deaths? Who’s responsible for the heightened tensions and violence in the state?

(Image: Altered by The Quint)

“He’d gone for namaz and he was shot at on the way back. I need justice. My child needs justice.”

Noor Mohammad’s widow

Noor Mohammad was walking home after reading namaz when he was shot at. The 26-year-old from UP’s Western Khalapar was first admitted to a hospital in Muzaffarnagar. They referred him to a hospital in Meerut, 60 kilometres away, where he was declared dead.

Like Noor, at least 18 people have lost their lives in the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests that turned violent in Uttar Pradesh in the past week. One among them, was an eight-year-old boy. Most of the dead have two things in common. The first, that they’re Muslims and second, that they were killed by “firearm injuries”.

Including UP, at least 25 deaths have been reported in the protests across the country.

So why has UP witnessed such a high number of deaths? Who’s responsible for the heightened tensions and violence in the state?

Today, Shadab Moizee, Aishwarya Iyer, Aditya Menon and I dive into the anti-CAA protests which have left at least 18 people dead in Uttar Pradesh.