Rahul Gandhi detained for third time

NEW DELHI – The Indian Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi was detained for the third time in two days as he arrived at Jantar Mantar in the Indian capital on Thursday.

He was arrested for a protest of his Congress party over the alleged suicide of an army veteran, Indian media reported.

Mr Gandhi, 45, was first taken to a police station in Parliament Street and then to Tughlaq Road, almost in a repeat of yesterday, when he was detained twice and taken to multiple police stations as he tried to meet the family of Subedar Ram Kishen Grewal, who took poison on Tuesday over insufficient pension.

Mr Gandhi also attended the Subedar's funeral in Haryana.

The Indian opposition parties seized upon the suicide, accusing the central government of failing to deliver on the One Rank One Pension (OROP) promise to retired army men.

Subedar Grewal, who served in the Army for 30 years, ate sulphur tablets on Tuesday. He died in hospital on Wednesday.