Chennai: Police lathicharge protesters demonstrating against CAA, NRC in Washermanpet

The situation escalated after some protesters were reportedly forcibly removed from the protest site, leading to a commotion between them and the police.

The Chennai Police has reportedly lathi-charged the protesters who had been demonstrating against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the National Population Register (NPR) at Washermanpet in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

Thousands had gathered in protest against the CAA, NRC, and NPR. The situation escalated after some protesters were reportedly forcibly removed from the protest site, leading to a commotion between them and the police.

The police lathi-charged the protesters to remove them and clear the area when the demonstrators did not budge.

Police said four cops, including a woman deputy commissioner, two women personnel and a sub-inspector were injured in stone-pelting even as there were reports that some protesters were also hurt.

Some of the protesters were detained. Subsequently, more people gathered there demanding their release. The situation is said to be under control now.

Chennai Police Commissioner AK Viswanathan holds talks with Muslim groups in Washermanpet. Some of the protesters who were detained during the anti-CAA and NRC protest have now been released.

Meanwhile, over 4,000 workers belonging to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and various Hindu outfits on Friday took out a rally seeking support for the Citizenship Amendment Act and to observe the 22nd anniversary of the serial bomb blasts in the city that claimed over 50 lives.

The rally, flagged off by former union minister Pon Radhakrishnan in the evening, comes at a time when the opposition parties have launched anti-CAA protests in various parts of the country.

The procession covered nearly six km to reach RS Puram, where the first blast occurred on February 14, 1998, where BJP leader L K Advani was scheduled to address an election rally on that day. The blasts claimed 58 lives and injured over 200.

Radhakrishnan claimed the state government and police used to disallow such processions for the last 21 years. However, this year, they allowed them to take out a procession and the BJP thanked the government for this, he said.