Protests against Delhi gang-rape intensify, prohibitory orders imposed in New Delhi

Police imposed section 144 in the New Delhi district early on Sunday morning after protesters demanding justice for Amanat (NOT her real name), who was gangraped by six men on December 16, clashed with security forces near Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The Police also evacuated protesters from outside Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's 10, Janpath residence early this morning. Mrs Gandhi came out of her residence and met protesters late last night. She spoke to them for around 20 minutes, and reportedly assured them that 'justice would be delivered."

Seven metro stations near India Gate - Patel Chowk, Udyog Bhavan, Race Course, Central Secretariat, Khan Market, Barakhamba Road and Mandi House - were also closed from 6 am to control crowds.

The protesters were put into buses and were taken to Bawana jail in north-west Delhi, which will serve as a temporary jail.

More policemen and rapid action force personnel have been posted around India Gate and Vijay Chowk. Vehicles will not be allowed on the 2 km stretch between Vijay Chowk to India Gate with the entire area cordoned off.

Young protestors, including women, reluctant to leave, got under buses and on top of them, and clung to the vehicles and each other as the police tried to carried them away to the buses. They have been taken to an undisclosed location.

Even post sunset on 22 December protesters refused to budge from Indian Gate and Rashtrapati Bhavan in spite of tear gas and water cannons.

On 22 December water cannons were brought out by the police on several times through the day to disperse the crowd.

After last Sunday's brutal gang-rape of a 23-year-old student in a moving bus Delhi, protests demanding safety for women are becoming louder each day.

Thousands of people gathered at the India Gate and Raisina Hill in New Delhi on December 22, demanding tougher punishment for rapists and more attention to women's safety by the government and the police.

The police are also using tear gas on the protesters.

There was chaos outside North Block in New Delhi with the police resorting to lathicharge and using water cannons to try and push back protesters who were trying to break barricades and enter the premises.

The police have blocked the road to North, South Block and Rashtrapati Bhawan. Many people have been arrested and reinforcements have also been rushed in.

Reports suggest that the agitating protesters attacked police vans; one policeman was injured in the rampage.

On December 21, hundreds of women tried to enter Rashtrapati Bhavan to express their outrage over the gang-rape.

Shouting "we want justice", the protesters tried to force their way in before they were stopped by the police.

Protesters from various women's organisations started their march from Rajpath and went past the barricades erected at the entrance of Raisina Hill and moved towards Rashtrapati Bhavan and South and North Blocks.

The protesters also briefly surrounded West Bengal Governor MK Narayanan's vehicle.