61 hurt as anti-govt protest turns violent
At least 61 people were injured as the anti-government protest by BJP youth wing activists turned violent here on Monday with the protesters hurling stones at the police and trying to march towards Parliament.
The protests prompted the police to fire teargas shells and use force before detaining Yuva Morcha chief Anurag Thakur and some workers.
The clash erupted between thousands of protesters and the police after the Yuva Morcha’s march from Ramlila Maidan reached Jantar Mantar on Tuesday evening, leaving at least 61 people injured, including 23 policemen, a press photographer and two women journalists.
Earlier in the day, some BJP activists had dodged the elaborate security apparatus and reached the outer gate of the Parliament complex meant for VIPs, raising slogans against Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. Protests are not allowed at this site.
The violence at Jantar Mantar started while Thakur was addressing the gathering.
A group of protesters climbed the barricades and ran towards the Parliament House but were prevented by the police.However, some of them managed to break the cordon and soon after, the protesters started hurling stones and throwing bottle and sticks at the police. The police retaliated by using water canon and firing tear gas shells.
They brought the situation under control in 30 minutes and later, Thakur and over 20 activists were detained but released after two hours. “We were holding a peaceful protest. For no reason the police suddenly started using batons at us. At least 20 of our activists were injured,” Thakur told reporters after he was released from detention.
However, the police refuted his allegations saying the Yuva Morcha activists turned violent despite giving an undertaking in writing that they would maintain peace.
“Despite the written undertaking and assurances given by leaders during the meetings held with police, the activists became violent on reaching Parliament Street, damaged the stage erected for speeches, climbed on to the police barricades and indulged in heavy stone pelting,” Dharmendra Kumar, Special Commissioner, said.
At least 23 police personnel were injured out of which the condition of three are “grievous”, he said claiming that police exercised maximum restraint and tried to persuade them to disperse for about 45 minutes.
