Protest reaches PM house, 150 held, released

Several protestors demonstrated in support of anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare in front of the Prime Minister's 7, Race Course Road (RCR) residence on Wednesday.

Several protestors demonstrated in support of anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare in front of the Prime Minister's 7, Race Course Road (RCR) residence on Wednesday.

HT Image

After carefully planning and coordinating the use of the Facebook page of India Against Corruption — the organisers of the agitation at Ramlila Ground, demanding a strong Jan Lokpal Bill — people started reaching the venue in small groups and kept waiting around to draw police attention.

Dinesh Kumar, who came with a sling decorated with pro-Hazare slogans on his fractured hand, said, "We have already spread the word about police presence. We chose this location for demonstration as this is the place to be."

Just as the first vehicles started coming in for the all-party meeting at 3.30pm, more than 25 protesters quickly grouped up on the footpath right opposite the Prime Minister's residence, in full view of the media.

Shouting slogans supporting Hazare and demanding quick passage of the Jan Lokpal bill, protesters then sat down and started singing bhajans. Meanwhile, police rushed in and tried to prevent the demonstrators from affecting the flow of traffic on Kamal Ataturk Marg. Minutes later, more police force arrived in a Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) bus and demonstrators were forcibly packed off in the bus and taken to Chanakyapuri police station.

"We detained 150 persons from in front of the Prime Minister's office. They were released in the evening," said a senior police officer.