Traffic was disrupted for several hours on Sunday when Sikh groups, who had been protesting at Jantar Mantar since Friday to demand justice for the 1984 anti-Sikh riot victims and stringent punishment for Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, who has recently been acquitted by a city court in the case, broke barricades on Sunday, in an effort to march towards the Prime Minister’s residence. The incident occured between 1.30 pm and 4 pm.
Sikh agitators broke down the barricades and tried to march towards Manmohan Singh’s residence to protest against the acquittal of Sajjan Kumar, creating traffic snarls on the Race Course Road in the afternoon. Places like Parliament Street, India Gate, Raisina Road, Rajpath and Sansad Marg also faced slow movement of traffic.
Police later blocked roads leading to the India Gate, where the protest was concentrated. No violence was, however, reported.
'Police did not allow anybody to reach India Gate or Raisina Hill which resulted in a trouble between security forces and protesters on Sunday,' said a police officer.
'The crowd, raising slogans against the government, started marching towards 7, Race Course Road, the Prime Minister's residence, even as the police erected barricades to stop them,' said a police official.
Several protestors who tried to break through the barricades or climb over them were detained by the police.
'Even after 30 years since the riots, we are yet to get justice. The government should be ashamed. We will never forget and forgive who allowed culprits get free. We want justice,' said one of the protesters.
Holding placards that said 'Give justice to 1984 victims' and 'Hang the culprits', the protesters shouted slogans against Sajjan Kumar's acquittal on Tuesday by a Delhi court.
'Around 50 Sikh protesters were detained for trying to break down the barricades and march towards the official residence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,' said a police official.
'The protest went on for more than two hours. They were taken to a police station and later let off,' said deputy commissioner of police S B S Tyagi.
Police had earlier restrained dozens of protesters at the Parliament Street police station. 'The situation is under control. We have deployed additional personnel at the Race Course area, and the Metro stations. No damage was caused by the protesters. Only a few of them are still protesting,' said a police official.
Sikh agitators broke down the barricades and tried to march towards Manmohan Singh’s residence to protest against the acquittal of Sajjan Kumar, creating traffic snarls on the Race Course Road in the afternoon. Places like Parliament Street, India Gate, Raisina Road, Rajpath and Sansad Marg also faced slow movement of traffic.
Police later blocked roads leading to the India Gate, where the protest was concentrated. No violence was, however, reported.
'Police did not allow anybody to reach India Gate or Raisina Hill which resulted in a trouble between security forces and protesters on Sunday,' said a police officer.
'The crowd, raising slogans against the government, started marching towards 7, Race Course Road, the Prime Minister's residence, even as the police erected barricades to stop them,' said a police official.
Several protestors who tried to break through the barricades or climb over them were detained by the police.
'Even after 30 years since the riots, we are yet to get justice. The government should be ashamed. We will never forget and forgive who allowed culprits get free. We want justice,' said one of the protesters.
Holding placards that said 'Give justice to 1984 victims' and 'Hang the culprits', the protesters shouted slogans against Sajjan Kumar's acquittal on Tuesday by a Delhi court.
'Around 50 Sikh protesters were detained for trying to break down the barricades and march towards the official residence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,' said a police official.
'The protest went on for more than two hours. They were taken to a police station and later let off,' said deputy commissioner of police S B S Tyagi.
Police had earlier restrained dozens of protesters at the Parliament Street police station. 'The situation is under control. We have deployed additional personnel at the Race Course area, and the Metro stations. No damage was caused by the protesters. Only a few of them are still protesting,' said a police official.