Protest for Rohith Vemula leads to traffic chaos in South Mumbai

Massive traffic jam was seen in South-Central Mumbai on Monday after over a thousand people carried out a march to protest against the death of Dalit student Rohith Vemula in Hyderabad. The protest, which started from Byculla and was scheduled to reach Vidhan Bhavan, was stopped at CST by the police.

"We have registered an offence at Azad Maidan police station against the protesters," said joint commissioner of police, law and order, Deven Bharti.

According to the police, around 1,200 people had gathered at Byculla and were on their way to Vidhan Bhavan. The protesters were circulating pamphlets to citizens, urging them to participate in the morcha.

There was bumper-to-bumper traffic both ways near JJ flyover and Nagpada junction. Many travelling in buses and taxis had to get off the vehicles and proceed on foot because of the snarl.

"Some of the demands of the protesters included arrest of union ministers and Hyderabad university officials, who, they claimed, were responsible for Vemula's suicide," said an officer.

"The protesters reached CST around 5.30pm and were there for at least 25 minutes. There is a designated place in Azad Maidan where protests are allowed to be carried, but the crowd wanted to proceed to Vidhan Bhavan in Churchgate, hence they were stopped."

The officer added that efforts are on to book the protesters and penalise them.