On second day of AAP's dharna, lathicharge after protesters try to break barricades

It is raining heavily near Rail Bhawan, where Delhi chief minster Arvind Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party are continuing their protest against the city's police on Day 2. Mr Kejriwal slept on the road last night.

Jan 20, 2014 11:14 IST

On day 2 of Arvind Kejriwal's protest against the Delhi police force that he describes as "compromised, clashes broke out between supporters of his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the police.

The protests are being held near Rail Bhavan in central Delhi, a high-security zone that houses the parliament, various ministries and the President's home.
Hundreds of slogan-shouting people tried to push through police barricades to join Mr Kejriwal's protest.
A policeman was injured in the intermittent clashes, which saw scuffles between cops and protesters and stone-pelting from both sides.

AAP has claimed their protest has been "infiltrated" by people from other political parties.
The protesters were undeterred even when the police used batons.
It is raining heavily near Rail Bhawan, where Delhi chief minster Arvind Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party are continuing their protest against the city's police on Day 2. Seen here, supporters take shelter from the rain.

(Photo: Vishnu Som)

Seen here, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal rests during his dharna demanding action against police personnel for alleged dereliction of duty.
An AAP supporter rests his head on his briefcase at dawn after some 200 protestors spent the night on the street with Arvind Kejriwal during a sit-in protest.
AAP supporters carry flags as they run close to the area where Kejriwal spent the night during the protest.

Supporters shout anti-police slogans close to Rail Bhavan.
Arvind Kejriwal (C) surrounded by supporters during the protest.
If the demonstration continues, it risks disrupting the annual Republic Day parade on Sunday when the country's military might is displayed along the road leading to Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Seen here, Arvind Kejriwal emerges from his Wagon R. (Photo: NDTV's Vishnu Som)

Coming up: Day 1 of dharna

The Delhi Police stopped Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal from reaching the office of Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde where Mr Kejriwal is planning a protest.

Seen here, Arvind Kejriwal and his cabinet ministers make their way to Shinde's office in the Chief Minister's Wagon R.

Delhi Police has set up barricades to stop Kejriwal and his ministers from proceeding to Shinde's office.

Apart from a huge traffic jam in central Delhi at office hour, the protest caused much inconvenience to Metro commuters, with four major stations in the area being closed.

AAP leaders were seen on camera arguing aggressively with the police about allegedly beating up their supporters including a law-maker named Akhilesh Tripathi, who was injured and moved to hospital.

The cops disconnected the public address system in an attempt to make the protesters shift to Jantar Mantar, an area earmarked for demonstrations.

Mr Kejriwal says the Delhi government must be given charge of the city's police force which currently reports to the union government via the Home Ministry.