Anti-CAA Protests: "Why Don't You Help The Family," Varanasi DM To Reporter On Minor Death Due To Police Action

The Varanasi District Magistrate’s (DM) when asked about the death of an 11-year-old boy who dies due to stampede that took place after police lathi-charged protestors said, “Why don’t you go and help the family.”

The DM’s insensitive response comes at a time when Uttar Pradesh has witnessed 17 of the 24 nationwide deaths during the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act and National Register of Citizens protests.

Reports of police assaulting peaceful protesters in UP have raised concerns about the police action. According to a report by Scroll.in the Varanasi police chased the protesters, in which teenagers mostly participated. Since the assault took place in the narrow lanes of the Bajaridha neighbourhood of the city, 11-year-old Sagir Ahmed was caught in the crowd running for their lives frantically. The minor died due to stampede on December 20.

According to the report when the DM was asked on what basis the police resorted to lathi-charge on the silent protesters, the officials responded by mocking the child’s death.

One of the officials named – Kaushal Raj Sharma described the killing of the boy as a norm. “These sorts of things keep happening in the city. Why don’t you go and help the family,” the official further told the reporter.

The Yogi Adityanath led Uttar Pradesh government has been accused of using excessive force to curtail protests. Section 144 – the Indian law that bans public assembly – had been imposed in the entire state on Friday. Post protests, mass arrests have been reported from Muslim areas. Moreover, many protesters who were arrested and assaulted are yet to be released. The state government is also now seizing properties of those who were involved in the protests as a “revenge” against arsonists.

Lakhs of people have taken to streets to express their dissent against the CAA which provides citizenship to illegal migrants from Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, Jain, Sikh, and Parsis from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.
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