ISLAMABAD, Dec 17: A clash between police and protesters here on Monday left scores of rights activists, journalists and policemen injured.

Police and eyewitnesses said around 400 to 500 protesters carrying placards and banners and shouting anti-government slogans, gathered at Aabpara Chowk in the afternoon and started marching towards the Judges Colony. They were demanding release of deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.

Policemen wielding batons tried to stop them and fired teargas to prevent them from heading towards the official residence of the deposed chief justice.

Protest organisers said police had arrested about 60 people, including political activist Jamil Abbasi, advocate Tariq Mehmood and a number of students. They were detained in a lock-up of the Secretariat Police Station and were to be booked on various charges, including violation of a ban on protest demonstrations.

A spokesman for the Islamabad Capital Territory police claimed that Superintendent Police East Nasir Aftab and 10 other policemen had been injured in the clash and that 20 people involved in the protest had been arrested.

A group of women activists rounded up by police was taken to the women police station and ordered to hand over their valuables and other belongings to police, one of the activists claimed.

“We have been deprived of our belongings and possibly would be put in the lock-up,” she said.

Outside the Secretariat Police Station, a group of media persons covering the event were beaten up by police. Many of them suffered injuries and bruises.

The injured journalists were taken to the Federal Government Services Hospital where they were said to be in stable condition.

At least 10 police personnel were also treated at the hospital.

“Policemen ruthlessly kicked and punched a cameraman and a reporter of AAJ TV when they were filming the women protesters being beaten up by police outside the Secretariat Police Station,” one of the victims said.