Many homes in Nehtaur wear the same look -- groceries spilled, furniture and appliances broken. (Photo: Munish Pandey/India Today)

Amid police crackdown across Uttar Pradesh over Citizenship Amendment Act protests, families in Bijnor's Nehtaur allege that vandalism by the state police has forced them to flee their homes.

Nehtaur in Uttar Pradesh's Bijnor district is barely 150 km away from the Indian parliament where the controversial amendment to the Citizenship Act was passed on December 11 allowing Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis, Jain and Christians, who faced religious persecution in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh and came to India before December 2014, to apply for citizenship.

Over 10 people have been arrested by the police, 60 have been named as accused and over 3000 unknown persons have been mentioned in FIRs after clashes erupted between police and protesters in Bijnor.

The locals allege that after clashes over the CAA, the UP Police has been vandalising their homes, harassing women and threatening their children to disclose the location of the male members of their families.

India Today TV visited two such homes. Here is what we saw.

Vandalism, fear of police harassment rampant

In one of the houses, the washbasin, bathroom, bed, furniture, fridge, utensils and other items were broken and strewn all over. When we asked a neighbour what had happened, he said, "We are being targeted because we are Muslims. 8-10 policemen come to our homes asking about the men in our family. If we tell them that we are not aware, they abuse us, harass the women and threaten the children."

Photo: Munish Pandey/India Today

The neighbour, on condition of anonymity, also said, "The police have told us that FIRs have been filed against more than 3,000 unnamed people in connection with the violence on Friday. If they come to know that I have spoken, my family members will be picked, beaten up and framed by them."

Muslims abandon houses, flee

Five other houses in the same area were locked and if neighbours are to be believed, families have abandoned their homes over the fear that the police will come back and harass them.

Just a few meters away, in another house, the TV set, bathroom, utensils, furniture and other items were allegedly broken by the police.

Photo: Munish Pandey/India Today

At least eight other families, who live in the same area, have also left their homes over fear of police brutality.

Photo: Munish Pandey/India Today

"The people are scared after the recent conduct of the police -- the way the policemen have treated the women, children and vandalised homes. The police has mentioned thousands unknown in FIRs and families fear that if they speak against police they will be named and arrested," said a local resident Hamid Salmani.