News 24 Bureau
New Delhi: The Delhi Police says the crackdown was carried out because the congregation at Ramlila Maidan was illegal. Delhi Police on Friday tells the apex court that the congregation was allowed just for a yoga camp and not for any other purpose.
Delhi Police today filed a reply in the Supreme Court on its crackdown yoga guru Baba Ramdev`s supporters in Ramlila Maidan on the night of June 4. The force had to submit its reply before June 20.SC issues notice to Centre on Ramdev`s eviction.
An apex court bench of justice BS Chauhan and justice Swatantar Kumar took suo-motu cognizance of the police action against yoga guru Baba Ramdev, referring to media reports. Delhi Police has scanned CCTV footage of the Ramlila grounds, where Ramdev was on an anti-corruption fast along with his supporters, as well as video footage provided by TV channels.
"Evidence suggests that most people were injured due to stampede, not because of lathicharge. But the timing of the crackdown is odd and the Delhi Police is finding it difficult to justifying that," said a senior police officer on condition of anonymity. "Choosing 1am to disperse the sleeping crowd was absurd," the officer said. Medical reports from various hospitals show that 30 of 39 supporters admitted were injured due to stampede, police said.
Ramdev and thousands of his supporters who were at Delhi`s Ramlila ground were forcibly removed by police on June 4.