Mumbai, Sep 9 (IANS): A benchmark index for Indian equities markets fell sharply in afternoon trade, about an hour before closing bell as traders booked profits in heavyweight scrips like Reliance Industries and Infosys.

Negative cues from European markets too added to the downtrend.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the BSE opened at 17,189.75 points and slid to 16,954.3 points, down 211.24 points or 1.23 percent from its previous close at 17,165.54 points.

It had slipped to an intra-day low of 16,889.70 points.

RIL was down 2.84 percent, while Infosys was trading 2.42 percent lower.

The 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange too followed a similar trajectory and was ruling at 5,077.1 points, down 1.48 percent.

Broader markets were trading dull. The BSE midcap index was up 0.34 percent, and the BSE small cap index was ruling 0.27 percent lower. The BSE 100 was however, down 1.22 percent.

The market breadth was negative with 1,241 stocks advancing, 1,504 on the decline and 100 remaining unchanged.