Uneasy calm in Aligarh day after clashes between police, anti-CAA protesters

Uneasy calm prevailed in localities under the Kotwali and the Delhi Gate police stations here on Monday, a day after incidents of arson and group clashes.

"No untoward incident has been reported from any place since Sunday evening," ADGP, Agra zone, Ajay Anand told PTI.

Some shops in the old city area opened Monday morning although a majority kept shutters down.

The district authorities, who are maintaining a tight vigil, were seen persuading shop owners to open for business.

According to police sources, 350 people have been booked at Kotwali, Delhi Gate and Civil Lines police stations for Sunday's incidents.

The ADGP said Mohamad Tariq Munawwar (22), who received gunshot injuries on Sunday's violence, is now stable and has been shifted to the ICU at the Trauma Centre of the Jawahar Lal Nehru hospital after doctors performed an emergency surgery on him.

"If necessary, we will shift him to AIIMS New Delhi. Currently, however, doctors are satisfied with his progress," Anand said, adding that the police were in the process of identifying the miscreants involved.

"At the same time, we are initiating confidence-building measures with the help of community leaders to help in restoring normalcy in all affected areas," he said.

District Magistrate Chandra Bhushan Singh warned that any attempt to spread rumours would be dealt with an iron hand and NSA would be invoked in such cases.

He also announced that internet services would continue to remain suspended till midnight on Monday.

Earlier on Sunday evening, trouble broke out at the Upper Kot locality when police were trying to evict women anti-CAA protestors who were squatting on the Mohamed Ali Road near the Kotwali police station since Saturday morning.

Some people protested, leading to a scuffle and within minutes, brickbatting started from neighbouring areas.

According to eye witness accounts, the trouble was initially limited to the Upper Kot locality where the women protestors were staging the dharna.

Police lobbed tear gas shells and rubber bullets were used to contain the situation.

However, the tension spilled over to the neighbouring localities, including Babri Mandi, where according to police sources, members of two communities pelted stones and shots were also fired.

Two police personnel were also injured while trying to control the situation.