Scores of students and social activists today took part in a protest outside Israel Embassy here against the strikes being carried out by that country's forces in Gaza with police briefly detaining some of them.
According to police, 54 protesters, including students of Jawaharlal Nehru University and several social activists, were detained for staging the protest outside Israel Embassy demanding an end to Israel's air strikes in Gaza which have resulted in high civilian casualties. The call for the protest was given by JNU Students' Union.
As the protesters marched towards the embassy on Aurangzeb Road, they were stopped by police, who put up barricades. That led to a scuffle following which 54 of the protesters were taken to Tughlaq Road police station.
The protesters, including CPI-ML leader Kavita Krishnan alleged they were manhandled and thrashed by police.
"Palestine isn't free. But how come we in India aren't free to protest peacefully on Delhi streets, speak to media without police violence?" Krishnan said in a tweet.
Police said they had told the protesters that no protest would be allowed in the high-security zone where Section 144 also remains in force.
"There was no lathicharge. Women protesters were picked up by women cops and taken to Tughlaq Road police station. We detained 54 protesters and they were released after some time.
"Some of them alleged they were injured, so we asked them to undergo a medical test. But they gave us in writing that they don't want to undergo the medical test. Allegations that we used force against them are baseless," said Additional Commissioner of Police (New Delhi), SBS Tyagi.
Around 70-80 protesters had staged a similar protest yesterday outside the Israel Embassy.
