Section 144 to be imposed in Bengaluru and other parts of Karnataka from Thursday

Prohibitory orders under Section 144 have been imposed in Karnataka including in the capital city of Bengaluru.

"Section 144 will be imposed for the next three days. Starting 6 am on Thursday till midnight on December 21," Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao told TNM.

The orders come ahead of fresh protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) which were set to be held on Thursday. 

"It is just a precautionary measure as we did not want violence," Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai told TNM.

Prohibitory orders under section 144 prohibits assembly of five or more people, holding of public meetings, and carrying of firearms

Bengaluru police commissioner's statement on section 144 in the city. @CPBlr pic.twitter.com/aW4iFnTWvJ

— Arun Dev (@ArunDev1) December 18, 2019

A series of protests happened in Bengaluru with Tuesday's protest by students marking the third consecutive day of protests in the city. The protests intensified following the police action on students of Jamia Milia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University on Sunday.

The decision comes after Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao said that 'sit-down protests' will be allowed in the city under certain conditions. He had indicated that students should not take to the streets to protest. 

Earlier on Wednesday, Bhaskar Rao had stated that the police would allow sit-in protests but not allow marches or rallies. He had also stated that he was not happy with protests erupting in Bengaluru due to violence that took place in other states. 

Read: Sit-down protests with conditions, but no marches allowed: Bengaluru Commissioner

At least two protests were planned in Bengaluru on Thursday and one on Friday.  On Thursday, a protest is planned to be held at Town Hall at 11 am under the banner of ''Hum Bharat ke Log'', which is supported by NGOs, citizen groups and the major opposition parties, including the Congress and the NCP. Left-parties including CPI(M), CPI and CPI(ML) also plan to hold an agitation against NRC and CAA at Mysore Bank Circle at 11 am. On Friday, students from various colleges in Bengaluru plan to hold a second protest at 5 pm at Town Hall. 

Organisers of Thursday's protest at Town Hall stated that they intend to go ahead with the protest despite prohibitory orders in place. 

Earlier on Wednesday, prohibitory orders under section 144 were imposed in Mangaluru starting at 9 pm on Wednesday night until midnight on Friday.