Post crackdown, Ramdev reaches Dehradun

Agencies

New Delhi, 05 June 2011: Post Delhi Police’s midnight crackdown at the Ramlila Grounds, Baba Ramdev on Sunday was flown out of Delhi to Dehradun in a special aircraft from the Indira Gandhi International Airport. Sources have said that there are seven people on-board the ten-seater aircraft. From Dehradun, the yoga guru will possibly go to Patanjali Yog Peeth in Haridwar shortly.

 

The Delhi Police had cancelled permission for the yoga camp at Ramlila Grounds and ordered Baba Ramdev to stay out of Delhi’s limits late on Saturday night. Ramdev was removed from the Ramlila Grounds and was escorted to Delhi border by Delhi Police. Police stormed the yoga guru’s fast venue and removed him from the spot. Ramdev was under police detention and there is an externment order against him.

 

The permission for yoga camp was cancelled and section 144 was imposed at the Ramlila Grounds as protestors were thrown out. Police fired tear gas shells to disperse Baba’s followers which included women and children. More than 30 people were injured in the police action. Towards dawn all the protestors had been removed and the pandal was dismantled.

 

Baba’s PRO spoke to CNN-IBN right after the yoga guru was taken away by police. He said, "This is unfair. We request the Chief Justice of India to take note of this and pass an order on the Delhi police and government of India. Thousands have been injured."

 

The first signs of the crackdown came shortly after 1 am, with a heavy contingent of Delhi Police landing up at the Ramlila Grounds and surrounding the protest site sensing trouble. The crowds resisted and began forming rings around the stage in their bid to prevent any forcible eviction leading to scuffles.

 

By 1.30 am a shaken Baba Ramdev soon appeared on the stage, took the public address system and began addressing the gathering. Taking turns to exhort the crowd to stay peaceful and also protesting what he called an unfair action, he even appealed to the people of Delhi to march towards Ramlila Grounds.

 

The police continued to close in towards the stage in their bid to remove Baba Ramdev from the crowd of supporters who were surrounding him.

 

The ring of supporters around Baba Ramdev on the stage and thousands of others milling around the stage meant the police would find it tough to evict him without resistance. After a brief scuffle and some stone pelting, the police used teargas shells were used to scatter the crowd - to create an opening to ensure the yoga guru was whisked away without the crowd being able to intervene.

 

Just as the police were about to evict Baba Ramdev, a minor fire broke out on the stage even as crowds milled around. Luckily the flames were put out in time before any serious damage could occur.

 

By 2.30 am the stage had been cleared up. A posse of policemen led by the Deputy Commissioner of Central District had taken Baba Ramdev away from the stage along with his close associates. Hundreds of policemen fanned around the venue using the opportunity to clear away most of those milling around the area near the stage. The bustling Ramlila Ground had been cleared of the crowds within two hours of the police first arriving at the spot.

 

The post-midnight swoop by the police - the scuffles and the tough action meant several participants of the protest fast sustained injuries. In fact while Ramdev’s supporters claimed hundreds had been injured, official figures put the number of injured at 30.

 

At 5 am, police forcibly removed the remaining protestors. Several women followers were seen being forcibly taken away by women police constables. Apart from evicting followers, police also made sure most of the pandals were removed. The police also made sure protestors didn’t use the machinery available to stir another round of agitation.

 

Within just half an hour - by 5.30 am - the entire venue looked almost deserted, barring a few protestors who were being whisked away by police and of course security personnel. One could see personal belongings strewn all over the place and most of the tents were removed.

 

Almost 3000 policemen were deployed in and around Ramlila Grounds. The Rapid Action Force of CRPF were also called in to the Central District. Police said that the purpose of setting up the yoga shivir at Ramlila Maidan was to carry out yoga activities not for any agitation.

 

Ramdev made it clear after a flip-flop on Saturday evening that he won’t end his hunger strike until he gets a written agreement from the government on recovering black money.

 

He got the letter from the government late on Saturday night, but, did not end his agitation.