Delhi gang rape: Anger rises in city as victim sinks

NEW DELHI: Protests over Sunday's brutal gang rape of a 23-year-old grew in strength and fury on Wednesday, assuming unprecedented proportions in the city even as demonstrations took place in other parts of India.

On Wednesday evening, the angry voice of Delhi's students quite literally shook the seats of power. Hundreds of students from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi University and Jamia Milia Islamia, along with many concerned citizens, stormed into the Central Secretariat at Raisina Hill and forced a meeting with the Union home minister, seeking an explanation on the security lapses that led to the assault.

Earlier in the day, protesters laid siege on the chief minister's residence and police commissioner's office, pressing ahead relentlessly until panicky cops opened up water cannons against them. The protesters, drenched to their bones on a chilly winter day, refused to budge. Meanwhile, the cops had cordoned off most of central Delhi to prevent others from joining the stir.

In the evening, what started as a spontaneous protest march at India Gate around 6pm, suddenly gained momentum when students marched straight up to Raisina Hill, jumping police barricades and blocking traffic. They pushed aside barricades while the police force guarding the high security zone did little to stop them. The cops on duty looked shocked and overwhelmed by the protest.

The students finally gathered in front of North Block, filling the air with slogans such as 'home minister hai hai, home minister jawab do'. They demanded a meeting with the home minister, threatening to continue the protest at the spot until he obliges.

"It is a historic moment for students here. We have pushed aside barricades and have gheraoed the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Now they have to answer. We will not move from here," said V Lenin, president of Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Association (JNUSU).

Student union members said that the protest was not just meant to demand an explanation for the recent gang rape in Delhi but also about the complete failure in ensuring safety for women around the country.