Sunday siege

Defying prohibitory orders in the area,they pulled down barricades,deflated tyres of government buses and stopped private vehicles, asking people to join their protest.

They also got within striking distance of Parliament and North and South blocks before police chased them away. The protesters jumped barricades at Jantar Mantar and rushed towards the Prime Minister’s residence,but police foiled their attempt to surround 7,Race Course Road.

Traffic came to halt for several hours as the protesters — in three groups — marched towards the Prime Minister’s home,Gandhi’s residence (10,Janpath) and Teen Murti Lane,where Gadkari’s house is located.

On the way to the Prime Minister’s home,the protesters broke five barricades — three on Parliament Street,one near Rail Bhawan and the other on Sunehari Bagh Road. Kejriwal was detained a kilometre off the Prime Minister’s residence.

The protesters also vandalised a portion of the boundary wall of A Raja’s residence.

IAC members Manish Sisodia,Kumar Vishwas and lawyer Prashant Bhushan tried to break the cordon and march towards Gandhi’s residence.

An FIR was later lodged against Kejriwal,Sisodia,Bhushan and Gopal Rai at Parliament Street police station.

Police registered five cases of rioting and 947 people were detained,including Kejriwal,Vishwas and Manish Sisodia. “They were informed that Section 144 CrPc (prohibiting gathering of more than five persons),was in place. Despite that,they went ahead,” a police officer said.

Though 1,500 security personnel were on duty,the protesters managed to breach the cordons to reach Krishna Menon Marg,barely a kilometre from the Prime Minister’s residence. Many of them were detained.

The protesters blocked Parliament street,Central Secretariat,Raisina Road and Vijay Chowk. “We split into groups to prevent police from stopping us at one place. We are not scared of police,we will not move back even if they kill us,” Rashmi,a protester,said even as police fired tear gas shells and used water cannons to disperse the crowd.

Though Sunday traffic was lean,the protesters kept more than 400 traffic personnel on their toes. “They blocked several roads. We had to wait for them to go before normal traffic could be resumed. The crowd finally dispersed at 3.30 pm,” a traffic personnel said.

The west-east corridor that includes Ashoka Road and Connaught Place was affected. Patel Chowk and Ashoka Road were blocked for more than three hours before police could detain the protesters and bundle them into DTC buses.

The IAC activists deflated bus tyres and sat on the road,evading arrest and blocking the roundabout leading to Teen Murti Lane,Ashoka Road and Krishna Menon Marg. Roads and intersections leading to the PM’s house — Aurobindo Chowk,Rajaji Marg,Samrat Hotel,the roundabout on Tughlaq Road and Gol Methi Road were choc-a-bloc with IAC supporters.

The six Metro stations,earlier slated to be closed for 10 hours,remained operational. The Central Secretariat,Udyog Bhawan,Patel Chowk,Race Course,Jor Bagh and Khan Market stations were kept open throughout the day.