Sajjan Kumar's acquittal: Protests in Delhi continue

Protests erupted in the national capital for the fourth day Friday against the acquittal of Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in anti-Sikh riots case, with one of the victims starting indefinite fast and a group blocking a busy road triggering huge traffic snarl.

Families of the 1984 riot victims blocked the busy Mathura Road near Nizamuddin in south Delhi from morning, triggering a huge pile up on the street which connects to the heart of the capital.

At another protest, victim Nirpreet Kaur began her indefinite fast at Jantar Mantar demanding that Kumar be punished.

She was joined by Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Kumar Vishwas who said they will sit on a day-long fast in solidarity with her cause.

Kaur said they had expected that they would get justice but the verdict given by the court had "shaken" their faith in the system.

She demanded that a Special Investigation Team be constituted which would investigate the case independently.

Kaur also demanded an appeal be filed in a higher court against the acquittal of Kumar and that the case be heard and decided in three months time.

The national capital has been witnessing protests since Tuesday evening after the verdict acquitting Kumar was pronounced in a Karkardooma court where a shoe was flung at the judge.

Outraged Sikhs have also been protesting outside Congress president Sonia Gandhi's residence for the past two days.

Image: Sikh demonstrators protest outside Sonia Gandhi’s residence in New Delhi.

Photograph: Mansi Thapliyal/Reuters