UP govt sets up two 'claims tribunals' to recover property damage due to protests

Acting on the 'Uttar Pradesh Recovery of Damages to Public and Private Property Ordinance, 2020', the Yogi Adityanath-led government, on Monday, set up two damage claims tribunals - one at Meerut and one at Lucknow. The government had passed the ordinance for recovery of damage to public or private property during hartal, bandhs, riots, public commotion, protests, in the wake of the violent anti-CAA protests. The government had issued notices to over 300 people for the recovery of damages allegedly caused to public property during several violent protests in the state.

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Yogi govt sets up damage claims tribunals

Allahabad HC stays order allowing recovery of damages for vandalism from 4 by UP govt

UP's ordinance to recover damages

The beginning of violence in UP was witnessed on December 15 when Aligarh Muslim University students who were protesting were allegedly attacked by police using tear gas shells, rubber bullets, stun grenades, pellets, and stones. While police deny these claims, over 17 policemen and 60 students were injured as protestors began to vandalise public property and torch buses while pelting stones. The Allahabad HC ordered the UP DGP to identify and take action against the policemen who were involved in the 'unnecessary canning of students' and 'damaging motorcycles' on December 15 and directed compensation to six students with injuries was based on the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) probe into the violence.

Cracking down on rioters, CM Yogi Adityanath passed an order to collect damages to public and private property from the vandalisers. In several cases, the Allahabad High Court stayed the order issued by district magistrates to recover damages from several individuals. Moreover, several pleas were moved in the Supreme court - challenging the validity of the Adityanath government's orders. The ordinance was passed this year, in a pointed attempt to enforce the government order.

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Violence had been witnessed in Uttar Pradesh during the December-January period against the amended Citizenship Act which has led to the 21 deaths and many injured. UP police have detained  5,500 people and arrested 1100 to date and had issued notices to over 50 persons seeking damages and had put up posters 'naming the rioters'.  Several places like Meerut, Lucknow, Bijnor, Rampur, Kanpur, Aligarh, Ghaziabad, Varanasi, Muzaffarnagar, Bareli, Lucknow witnessed rampant violence.

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