Police use teargas, water cannons to against protesters

NEW DELHI: Teargas shells were lobbed and water cannons used at protesters at India Gate agitating against the gangrape of a young girl here today as they marched towards Raisina Hills, hours after police evacuated demonstrators from there and Sonia Gandhi's residence.

This was the second successive day that police resorted to lobbing teargas shells and use of waterjets besides using force to contain the protest demanding speedy justice and stringent punishment for the accused in last Sunday night's incident. Doctors said the condition of the victim continues to be critical.

A group of protesters also met Sonia and Rahul Gandhi during which the Congress top leaders assured speedy action while refusing to give a time-frame for it.

Some protesters indulged in violence as they stopped East Delhi MP Sandeep Dikshit at India Gate, heckled him and damaged his car as well as a government jeep ferrying officials and clashed with the police while trying to march towards Raisina Hills, where Rashtrapati Bhavan and key government ministries are located.

Central Delhi faced huge traffic chaos due to a security clampdown on Rajpath even as protesters blocked roads near India Gate.

Teargas shells were lobbed at the agitators near India Gate at around one PM as they tried to enter Rajpath to head towards Raisina Hills. However, later they were allowed to proceed in a bid to ease traffic on the radial road.

The protesters then tried to cross the barricades and clashed with the police who resorted to the use of water cannons at 1:15 PM.

Early this morning, around 50-60 protesters, who stayed put at Raisina Hills throughout the night and some others infront of Sonia Gandhi's 10, Janpath residence, were evacuated while high drama was witnessed at India Gate when agitators resisted police attempts to detain them for defying prohibitory orders.