BJYM protest: chief among scores detained

BJP youth wing's anti-government protest in New Delhi turned violent on Tuesday prompting police to resort to lobbing of tear gas shells and lathicharge on protesters before detaining Yuva Morcha chief Anurag Thakur and scores of party activists.

BJP youth wing's anti-government protest in New Delhi turned violent on Tuesday prompting police to resort to lobbing of tear gas shells and lathicharge on protesters before detaining Yuva Morcha chief Anurag Thakur and scores of party activists.

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Several people, including a press photographer, were injured in the clash between protesters and police which broke out at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Tuesday evening after the BJYM's march from Ramlila Maidan had come to an end.

As BJYM chief Anurag Thakur was addressing the gathering, a group of protesters tried to jump the barricades and ran towards Parliament House but were prevented by the police.

Soon after the protesters started hurling stones and throwing bottle and sticks at police, they retaliated by using water canon and lobbing tear gas shells.

Police also resorted to use of force to bring the crowd under control.

"We were holding a peaceful protest. For no reasons police suddenly started using batons at us. Around twenty of our activists were injured," Thakur said.

"Even inside Parliament, our cadres were beaten up. What is happening here? Is this the way you treat the youth of this country?" he asked.

Later, Thakur and some activists were taken to the Parliament Street police station where they were detained.

The activists had marched from Ramlila to Parliament as part of their "Parliament Gherao" against government's alleged inaction in handling corruption.

At Ramlila Maidan senior BJP leaders L K Advani, Nitin Gadkari, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitly addressed the gathering.

The injured protesters were admitted at the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital which saw a steady stream of BJP leaders and workers visiting them.

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, senior party leader Anant Kumar, Shahnawaz Hussain, Venkaiah Naidu, and Delhi BJP chief Vijendra Gupta were among those who visited the injured BJYM activists.

Speaking to reporters after meeting the injured, Naidu claimed that many persons had been injured in the clash with several of them getting leg fractures.