MP: Curfew in Jabalpur, Internet shut for six hours in Bhopal

Curfew was imposed in parts of Jabalpur city in Madhya Pradesh following stone-pelting during protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, while mobile Internet remained suspended in state capital Bhopal for six hours on Friday.

Protests were held across Madhya Pradesh against the controversial CAA and NRC, though prohibitory orders under the Code of Criminal Procedure banning gathering of more than four persons are in force in 44 out of 52 districts, police said.

In Jabalpur, curfew was imposed in Gohalpur and Hanumantal. Partial curfew was in place in Kotwali and Adhartal areas too, district collector Bharat Yadav told PTI.

Protests against CAA and National Register of Citizens (NRC) turned violent in these areas with some people hurling stones at police and the police using baton-charge.

Schools will remain closed on Saturday as a precautionary measure, Yadav said.

The situation was now under control, said Deputy Inspector General of Police Bhagwat Singh Chauhan.

The state police were also keeping a close watch on social media to guard against circulation of rumours and provocative messages in the districts where prohibitory orders are in force, officials said.

"Mobile Internet was suspended for six hours starting from 1 pm in Bhopal which has a sizable Muslim population," an official of the police's intelligence cell said.

Broadband Internet was working.

The districts where no prohibitory orders have been imposed are Guna, Shivpuri, Alirajpur, Dhar, Betul, Dindori, Tikamgarh and Niwari.

In Bhopal city, a huge protest march was held near Tarjume Wali Masjid. It was led by Mufti Abdul Razzque.

In Indore, Muslim devotees launched a signature campaign against the CAA and NRC after namaz. Sunni Aimma Council, an association of Muslim clerics, has lent support to the campaign, council secretary Mohammad Arif Barkati said.

"No law can be based on religious lines. So CAA is unconstitutional. We are opposing the proposed NRC too, in a non-violent way, which was the means employed by Mahatma Gandhi to free India," he said.