Hathras Gang Rape: Over 200 policemen at the DND Flyway near Delhi as Rahul Gandhi heads to Hathras.
More than 30 MPs left for Hathras in Uttar Pradesh this afternoon along with ex-Congress chief Rahul Gandhi amid nationwide outrage over the alleged gang rape and torture of a 20-year-old woman who died at a hospital in Delhi on Tuesday. Later, however, only two of them - KC Venugopal and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury - were allowed to go with the Gandhis.
Mr Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra left from Delhi in a car, two days after both the Congress leaders were stopped while marching to the village in UP where the victim's family lives.
Visuals this afternoon showed Ms Vadra, 48, driving the car and Rahul Gandhi, wearing a white kurta and mask, sitting beside her. The police allowed them to go today after stopping them briefly and stressing that "only five leaders will be allowed to go".
More than 200 cops - some in riot gear and wielding lathis - were deployed at the toll plaza along the Delhi-Noida Direct (DND) Flyover. As crowds gathered, cops were seen resorting to lathicharge to disperse the people.
Several Congress MPs, in separate vehicles, were headed to Hathras.
In a tweet, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor shared his picture, behind the wheels and wrote: "Heading to Hathras! #SatyagrahaForOurDaughters."
Earlier today, Congress MP Ghulam Nabi Azad had attacked the UP government over the tussle between Rahul Gandhi and UP cops on Thursday.
"Leadership and its mindset have been demonstrated by what all is happening," Mr Azad said. Rahul Gandhi was pushed and he fell to the ground when he was stopped by the policemen on Thursday, who had thwarted his march.
Ghulam Nabi Azad's remarks came as he was preparing with several other Congress leaders to head to the UP village.
"Photo opportunity kaun karta hai yeh sabko malum hai (Everybody knows who indulges in photo opportunity," the Rajya Sabha MP had told reporters, when asked about the criticism against the visit of the Congress leaders to UP.
Thursday's dramatic visuals showing Rahul Gandhi on ground - surrounded by a large number of cops - had prompted attack by the opposition leaders.
"Reckless behavior of UP police towards Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is extremely condemnable. It is reprehensible for those who are supposed to uphold the law to trample upon democratic values in such a manner," tweeted NCP leader Sharad Pawar.