New Delhi: Police on Monday briefly detained over 200 students as they tried to hold a protest near the Israeli embassy here in support of Palestine, officials said. Hundreds of students from JNU, Jamia Millia Islamia and Delhi University had gathered near the Taj Mansingh Hotel to take part in the protest. Police had put up barricades to stop them from reaching the embassy at Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road.
When the students tried to march towards the embassy, many of them were detained as the group did not have the required permission to hold the protest, said a police officer, adding that "no one was allowed to violate law and order". "Nearly 200 students were detained during the protest as they were trying to go in front of the embassy. They were taken to different police stations and later released," said the police officer.
The protesting students alleged that they were "manhandled" by the police, which denied the charge. Members of the All India Students Association (AISA), Disha Chhatra Sangathan, Student Federation of India (SFI) and Democratic Front of India (DSF) took part in the demonstration. Aishe Ghosh, JNU Students Union president, claimed many students sustained injuries during the police action.
She alleged several demonstrators were detained even before the protest could start. "They were brutally picked up right from the metro stations and their vehicles," the JNUSU president said in a statement. Police officials, however, refuted the charge and said there was no permission for the demonstration. The demonstrators raised slogans in favour of Palestine demanding justice to them, as the policemen swung into action and tried to disperse them. "This protest was just about showing solidarity with Palestinians," said a protestor. Karan, one of the students from Disha Chattra Sangathan, said, "How can the Indian government support Palestine while continuing to trade with Israel".
