Midnight police swoop on Baba Ramdev, detention ends protest

Mtoday news / PTI

New Delhi, Jun 5 : With talks breaking down, police swooped down on Baba Ramdev a little past midnight and detained him after firing tear gas shells and resorting to lathicharge on his supporters to end his day-old indefinite hunger strike on black money issue.

 

 

The dramatic police action came after government and the 46-year-old Yoga Guru had accused each other the previous night of betrayal on mutual assurances.

The drama that broke the midnight calm in the Ramlila Maidan a little after 1 AM unfolded when a large number of police personnel descended at the protest venue where Ramdev was demanding immediate action to bring back black money stashed in foreign tax havens.

 

 

 

 

Several supporters were injured in the clashes. Those injured also included women who have been admitted to LNJP hospital, preliminary reports said.

As a large police force tried to surround the dais, Swami Ramdev jumped from the dais among his supporters. Scuffles broke out between Swami Ramdev’s supporters and police.

Women supporters of Swami Ramdev tore the police uniform of additional DCP D K Gupta to protest police action.Delhi Police Commissioner B K Gupta said Swami Ramdev has not been arrested but the permission to hold rally at Ramlila Maidan has been withdrawn in view of law and order situation. Gupta admitted, that police had to use teargas shells to disperse the protesters.

 

 

 

A large number of police personnel descended at Ram Lila Maidan, the venue where Baba Ramdev was on a hunger-strike demanding action on blackmoney.

Chaos prevailed at the spot after around 1.10 am when news came that the yoga guru may be arrested after he decided to continue with his fast following with the worsening of stand-off between him and the government.


After day break, police cleared all the remnants of Baba’’s support by evicting his followers from the protest site amidst stiff resistance.

Delhi Police spokesman Rajan Bhagat said Baba Ramdev was detained as he was leaving the site.

Later sources said he was allowed to go out of Delhi and probably he was headed to Haridwar.

Earlier, Home Secretary G K Pillai had maintained that he was not arrested or detained, a point echoed by Delhi Police Commissioner B K Gupta, who also rushed to the spot.

Gupta said there were some security concerns and that the permission for the yoga camp has been cancelled.

He said Ramdev’’s supporters indulged in stone throwing. Police did not use force except to use some tear gas, he added. .