10 policemen injured by mob in Delhi rape protest

At least 10 policemen were injured when a mob angry over a minor girl's alleged rape in south Delhi pelted them with stones, police said on Saturday.

The incident occurred on Friday night when scores of angry locals from Rangpuri Pahadi's J.J. Cluster at Vasant Kunj turned violent and blocked traffic from Mehrauli to Mahipalpur for hours.

"When a local police team, including two assistant commissioners of police (ACPs), reached the spot and informed the people that the accused has already been arrested, the mob refused to disperse and damaged 10 cars and a police vehicle," said Deputy Commissioner of Police Devender Arya.

"The police's repeated requests to keep peace failed to have any effect," he said.

"The protestors then started throwing stones at the police team following which the police used mild force to disperse the crowd. Ten policemen, including two ACP rank officers, were injured", Arya said.

Police teams have detained two dozen protestors and efforts are on to identify more, the officer said.

On Wednesday, a minor girl was allegedly raped by an accused identified as Prakash when she had gone to relieve herself in a forest area near her home.

Prakash who works as a rag picker was arrested on Friday.

--IANS

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