NOIDA/GHAZIABAD: Police in Uttar Pradesh have enhanced security and patrolling along Ghaziabad and Noida borders the state shares with Delhi, where violence over the amended citizenship law has claimed 20 lives in the last two days, officials said on Tuesday.
The Noida police said it was on 'high alert' and Section 144 of the CrPC, which bars assembly of four or more people, was in place in the district, while the Police Armed Constabulary (PAC) has also been deployed in huge numbers.
"Liquor shops near Delhi border areas were being closed and comprehensive checking was being carried out," the Noida Police said in a statement on Tuesday night. Similar measures were being taken in Ghaziabad, where police have increased security on Loni border which is close to northeast Delhi.
"The security apparatus is active in the border areas, like Loni, where patrolling has also been increased. Peace committee meetings are being convened across the district. Intelligence unit is also active," Ghaziabad Senior Superintendent of Police Kalanidhi Naithani told PTI.
Mobs roamed unchecked through the streets, burning shops, pelting stones and threatening locals, as fresh violence tore through northeast Delhi, resulting in the death of six more people on Tuesday and taking the toll in the communal clashes to 20. More than 200 people have suffered injuries.
Ghaziabad is barely 1.5 km from Gokalpuri, adjoining Yamuna Vihar, Musfatabad, Bhajanpura and also close to Maujpur and Jafrabad in northeast Delhi -- the main areas hit by the violence that broke on Sunday night.
"Precautionary deployment of the force has been increased in border areas along with checking of vehicles and patrolling in parts leading to Delhi," Deputy Commissioner of Police, Noida Zone I, Sankalp Sharma told PTI. "Senior officers are also on the ground to take stock of situation, while intelligence unit has also been activated in the wake of the violence in the national capital," Sharma added.
While Noida does not share a border with northeast Delhi, it is close to Shaheen Bagh in southeast Delhi -- the epicentre of the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) protests. A major road connecting Noida with South Delhi and further to Faridabad is closed for vehicular movement except ambulances and school buses since December 15.
So far, there has been untoward incident reported in Noida or Ghaziabad which could be linked with the clashes in Delhi, officials said.