Anti-rape protests turn violent in Indian capital

Violence erupted at India Gate yesterday over last Sunday’s gangrape when protesters threw stones and fought pitched battles using rods with the police who fired teargas shells, sprayed water jets and used force to disperse the agitators.

Delhi Police constable Subash Tomar who was severely beaten up near India Gate by protesters battled for life at Ram Manohar Lohia hospital even as the rape victim underwent a small operation and was put on ventilator again. Thirty-five young protestors sustained severe injuries and many media persons were also injured.

Hooligans and some political elements today hijacked the peaceful protests in the capital. Protesters indulged in violence and attacked government vehicles and public property. In a late night development, an emotional father of the Delhi gangrape victim appealed to the protesters to stop vandalism and help police in bringing the culprits to justice at the earliest.

He also appealed to the people to pray for his 23-year-old daughter, who is fighting for her life at a city hospital. “My daughter is stable now. She is conscious. I appeal to all to refrain from vandalism and help the police so that the process of capturing and sentencing the culprits is successful,” he told a TV news channel.

Earlier in the morning, more than 50 protesters who had camped overnight at Vijay Chowk, were evacuated, put in buses and driven away. Many protesters including girls complained of being hit by the police who they said misbehaved with them. They said the cops forcibly pushed them inside a bus which was meant for taking protestors to the outskirts of the capital. However, some of the protesting youths sneaked under the buses and prevented them from moving. “I was dragged by my hair as policemen were using force on us. No women police personnel were deployed to handle women and they were treating us like criminals,” said a young woman protester.

The tyres of buses were deflated after which the police used force to disperse the crowd from India Gate. They were directed to go to Ramlila Ground or Jantar Mantar to hold their demonstration. Later, section 144 was enforced at Jantar Mantar too and they were asked to go to Ramlila Ground instead.

After rumours spread that talks between United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi and a delegation of protestors at 10 Janpath had failed, the crowd began to create trouble. Some anti-social elements are also believed to have entered the fray. They overturned cars, vandalised buses, smashed windows, deflated tyres and blocked traffic. They stopped the car of Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit’s son and MP, Mr Sandeep Dikshit, and heckled him before he was rescued by the police.

Soon the entire area adjoining India Gate turned into a virtual garrison as police and Rapid Action Force personnel dominated the area in anti-riot gear. Several cordons of security were broken by the people and the police struggled to prevent them from going towards Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Police again flashed the message that protesters can only protest at Ramlila Ground as all other protest sites were out of bounds. Section 144 was extended across the 34-km stretch in New Delhi district. Nine Metro stations in Central Delhi will remain closed tomorrow in the wake of the protests that has continued near India Gate over the gangrape of a paramedic student, the DMRC said tonight.