People from all walks of life, including students and women, gathered at Vijay Chowk on Thursday to protest the brutal gang-rape and murder of a veterinary doctor in Hyderabad.
On being asked by the police, they went to Jantar Mantar. But as they were approaching the Jai Singh Road in order to reach near Parliament 27 of them were detained and taken to Mandir Marg police station, police said.
However, they were later released, they added.
Delhi Commission For Women chief Swati Maliwal, who is on a hunger strike to demand capital punishment for rapists within six months of their conviction, hit out at the government for detaining the protesters and termed it "weak".
"Neither does this dumb government want to speak anything on the daily rape, nor does it want to listen to anyone. For the last three days, I have been sitting on a hunger strike and thousands of women are raising their voice every day in the movement.
"The government is silent. Today, the government has given proof of its weakness by arresting these students," Maliwal tweeted.
The 25-year old veterinary doctor's charred body was found under a culvert at Shadnagar in Hyderabad on November 28. Four men, aged between 20 and 24, have been arrested on charges of raping and killing the woman.