Paramilitary forces, drones beef up security in UP for Friday prayers

Security was mounted and patrolling intensified in sensitive areas across Uttar Pradesh to ensure peace during Friday prayers in view of widespread violence by those protesting against the amended citizenship act last week which claimed 19 lives.

As a precautionary measure, Internet services, that were resumed after nearly a week, were suspended again in Ghaziabad, Bulandshahr, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar and Shamli. In Agra, the services will remain suspended till Friday evening, a senior police official said.

To avoid a repeat of last Friday's violence in Gorakhpur, police staged flag march in sensitive areas and held a meeting with peace committees in all circle and police station areas.

Paramilitary force personnel and state police force have been deployed, and drone cameras are being used to ensure security on Friday, Gorakhpur District Magistrate Vijyendra Pandiyan said.

Meanwhile, the process to confiscate the property of those involved in damaging public assets during the protests gained momentum as 372 people were served notices in different districts.

A Home Department spokesperson on Thursday put the death toll at 19 in the violence, which left 288 policemen injured, including 61 who received firearm injury. He said 327 FIRs have been registered and 5,558 preventive arrests made.