As Delhi chokes, residents rally at India Gate demanding action, detained

According to a PTI report, many of the protesters are mothers who were accompanied by children. They said they had gathered to demand urgent government action to ensure clean air in the national capital.

"We want to meet our elected officials. We had sought an appointment with the chief minister but were refused. So many parents are here because their children are suffering. Every third child already has damaged lungs; they will live nearly 10 years less than those growing up in cleaner air," the report quoted environmentalist Bhavreen Khandari as saying.

The protest took place on a day when Delhiites woke up to another day of toxic air, as pollution levels remained alarmingly high. Data from the Air Quality Early Warning System on early morning showed an AQI of 392, while multiple areas crossed the 400 mark, ranking the capital among the worst-polluted cities nationwide.