India protests rage on as death toll rises to 24

THOUSANDS of people joined fresh rallies against a contentious citizenship law in India on Saturday, with 24 killed so far in nearly two weeks of widespread unrest.

The death toll jumped one day after demonstrations turned violent on Friday in India’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, where at least 15 people were killed including an eight-year-old boy who was trampled to death.

One protester died Saturday after clashes in Rampur, also in Uttar Pradesh, as police armed with batons used tear gas against a stone-pelting crowd, police told AFP.

Anger has been growing over the law, approved by parliament on December 11, which gives religious minority members from three neighbouring countries an easier path to citizenship -- but not if they are Muslim.