357 Protestors detained outside Uttar Pradesh Bhawan

Delhi Police on Friday detained 357 protesters from outside Uttar Pradesh Bhawan while they were trying to stage a demonstration against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The protestors were later released.

Heavy security had been made outside Uttar Pradesh Bhawan.

Delhi Police said in a release that protest outside UP Bhawan was carried out in violation of section 144Cr PC and the protesters did not have permission. They were asked not to carry out their protests.

"When the protesters didn't follow the directions, 357 protesters were detained and taken to Mandir Marg and Connaught Place Police Stations. They were subsequently released," the police said. Those detained and released included 75 women.

Jamia Coordination Committee (JCC) said in a release that it had called for a peaceful 'gherao' of UP Bhawan beginning from 3 pm today, which was met with "the now-normal repression tactics" by the Delhi Police.

The JCC alleged that there was "crackdown" and they could not give the memorandum meant for the Uttar Pradesh government. It also alleged that "violence" had been committed against Muslims and anti-CAA protestors in Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Assam, Bihar and Delhi.

Almost all the buses which left from Jamia Nagar were stopped by the police. Individual protestors, who came via other means of transport to UP Bhawan, were also detained separately.

( With inputs from ANI )