Over 150 Ghanta Ghar protesters booked for rioting, damaging monument

A fresh FIR has been registered against 22 people and 100-150 unidentified others in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow for allegedly rioting, damaging Ghanta Ghar monument and raising "inciting slogans", police said on Tuesday.

The fresh FIR, registered on Monday, said that several women defaced and damaged the historical Ghanta Ghar monument and organized an illegal protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) at the spot on January 17 this year.

According to the FIR, two persons who are out on bail in connection with December 19, 2019, arson and violence were felicitated by the protesters at Ghanta Ghar on Saturday.

"Several men, who were encouraged by the acts of these women, also raised inciting slogans against police and the government. It affected the environment around the Ghanta Ghar area," the FIR read.

Police said that two accused in the FIR registered on Monday, Ebad Khan and Nitin Raj, have been arrested in the matter. In the last seven days, 23 people have been arrested in connection with the violence and illegal protests in Lucknow.

Actions are also being taken against 27 people under gangster act, police said.

Lucknow Police Commissioner Sujit Pandey has also issued directions to take strict actions against those spreading hatred among the people through these illegal protests.