Chennai, Dec 21 (IANS): Beefing up the security here to prevent any untoward incidents, Chennai Police have registered cases against around 600 persons for holding protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) on Thursday.

The police have booked cases against political leaders, social activists and others who had participated in the anti-CAA protest meeting and raised slogans against the new citizenship law and Central and state governments.

With anti-CAA protests raging across the country, the BJP in the state held a pro-CAA meeting on Friday to explain the features of the new citizenship law.

Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu government has announced holiday for all universities and colleges from Saturday till Jan 1, 2020.

While there have been protests by students in some pockets in the state against CAA, the government in a statement cited the Christmas and New Year season celebrations as the reasons for the holiday.

Anna University has cancelled all its exams while the University of Madras had already declared holiday till Jan 1.

In Coimbatore, some shops owned by Muslims were shut down in protest against CAA while other shops were open.