Around 4.30 on Friday evening a band of 20 protestors led by voluntary organisation Sweccha gathered opposite gate number one of the World Culture Festival (WCF). They were protesting with black banners screaming ‘Don’t kill the Yamuna’ and ‘Boycot Sri Sri’. Forty-five minutes later, the protestors were intercepted by the police.

“We were protesting peacefully until the prime minister’s convoy arrived,” says Tanika, a protestor. “We were then heckled and our flags were taken away,” she adds.

Vimlendu Jha, founder of Sweccha wrote on his Facebook page:

A few days ago it was Hindu Mahasabha threatening to kill, today it was Police. Shame Shame. ‪#‎boycottsrisri ‪#‎dontkillyamuna

He also claimed that the protestors were beaten by the cops for showing black flags to the prime minister.

However, an undeterred Tanika declared that it rained heavily. “Looks like the nature is with us as well,” she says.

God save us from the wrath of the Godmen, rain harder. #boycottsrisri

— vimlendu jha (@vimlendu) March 11, 2016