Charu Sudan Kasturi, The Telegraph’s special correspondent, being roughed up by policemen while covering the torch relay. Kasturi, who had an authorised pass issued by the Indian Olympic Association, was asked to leave by the police, and he was punched, kicked and slapped. (PTI picture)

New Delhi, April 17: The Tibetans could not disrupt the torch relay, but they did manage to hold protests in the restricted zone police had marked out for the Olympic run.

Compared to the thousands of khaki-clad men deployed between India Gate and Rashtrapati Bhavan as well as surrounding areas, the Tibetan Youth Congress agitators were few.

Ordinary citizens faced a different ordeal as the state curtailed freedom of movement for “reasons of diplomacy”.

The police beat up several Tibetan protesters. A regional Tibetan Youth Congress leader from Shimla fractured his hand and was admitted to Ram Manohar Lohia hospital.

More than 350 Tibetan protesters were detained today. Around 130 others are still in Tihar jail for scaling the wall of the Chinese embassy on March 21.

Sporting “Save Tibet” T-shirts and the Tibetan flag painted on their faces, the protesters arrived in small groups in autorickshaws and cars.

They managed to protest at India Gate and on Akbar Road that has the Congress office. Both areas fall in the restricted zone.

The vice-president of the Tibetan Youth Congress, Dhondup Dorjee, said he was sad the police were harsh. “Without anything but Tibetan flags in their hands what violence can you do?” he asked.

The Tibetans also had their “war strategy”. Eight zones were carved out of the area surrounding the no-fly zone where group leaders took charge and planned protests.

In another programme, the Tibetan Solidarity Committee organised a parallel torch relay from Rajghat with a “freedom torch” made of brass.

Support came from Nafisa Ali, Arundhati Roy, George Fernandes, Jaya Jaitley and Kirti Azad, besides some Delhi-based NGOs.

Their torch run was peaceful with monks praying and rallyists carrying Tibetan butter lamps. The brass torch was lit from two butter lamps.

The Tibetan Youth Congress was keen on an unarmed but forceful agitation. “Just attack, attack the Olympic torch,” said Tenzin, who co-ordinated with fellow “group leaders”.

At Le Meridien Hotel from where the torch was taken to Rajpath, Tibetan protesters came five times, to be detained each time by policemen.

One of them managed to carry “Save Tibet” pamphlets which were strewn on the road. Another shouted “save Tibet” briefly before being hauled to a police van.