ABVP members stage protest near Raj Bhavan

Hundreds of ABVP members staged a protest near Raj Bhavan on Monday demanding the immediate arrest of those who participated in the programme organised by Amnesty International regarding the Kashmiri issue at UT College on Millers Road on Sunday. The protestors wanted to meet the City Police Commissioner but were stopped by police.

The protestors demanded that mere registering of a FIR against unknown persons was an eyewash. The police are trying to hush up the issue and encourage anti-national activities, they alleged. They said they would continue their agitation till the persons involved in the programme were arrested.

Traffic disrupted

Traffic was disrupted in and around Raj Bhavan when the protestors blocked the police vehicles which were stationed there to ferry them away from the spot. The protestors clashed with the police and shouted slogans, blocking the vehicles .

Police resorted to a mild lathicharge to disperse the crowd which tried to storm the Police Commissioner's office demanding immediate arrest of the people who have been booked under sedition charges.

AAP members detained

Earlier police detained around 45 members of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) who were protesting against the appointment of IAS officer Sham Bhatt as KPSC Chairman. AAP co-convener Shiva Kumar along with six of his associates were detained and taken to police station where heated arguments ensued between them and the police.

According to the AAP members the police roughed up the protestors and one of them sustained a hand fracture in the melee.The protestors claimed that they had intimated the police prior to the event and had even sought the permission of the Raj Bhavan security personnel. ""But the police from central division rushed to the spot and accusing us of venturing into Raj Bhavan like thieves." The protestors said that they are not thieves but "the government is appointing thieves."

While seven members were taken to Ashok Nagar police station the rest of them were bundled into vehicles and taken to CAR grounds on Mysuru Road.