COVID-19 lockdown: Shaheen Bagh protest site cleared by Delhi police; tent, posters taken down

The police removed barricading, tents, posters, and other paraphernalia from the road No 13 A, where the sit-in was on for more than three months against the contentious CAA.
Shaheen Bagh protest area has been cleared by Delhi Police amid lockdown over Coronavirus. (Photo | Parveen Negi/EPS)
Shaheen Bagh protest area has been cleared by Delhi Police amid lockdown over Coronavirus. (Photo | Parveen Negi/EPS)

NEW DELHI: On the second day of lockdown clamped in Delhi to prevent coronavirus outbreak, Delhi Police on Tuesday early morning launched a crackdown at Shaheen Bagh protest site.

The police removed barricading, tents, posters, and other paraphernalia from the road No 13 A, where the sit-in was on for more than three months against the contentious citizenship amendment act (CAA). 

Following the orders of Delhi Commissioner SN Srivastava, all the protests and gatherings sites have also been cleared on Tuesday morning in the wake of measures being implemented in the national capital due to health concerns caused by COVID-19.

A venue in Nizamuddin area was vacated last night. The other locations that were cleared by the police on Tuesday included Malviya Nagar, Hauz Rani, Jafrabad, Turkman Gate, and Jamia Millia Islamia, according to police officials.

The road no 13 A, which connects southeastern part of the national capital and Noida, was closed since the protest had begun.

The police have also detained a few protestors--six women and three men-- from Shaheen Bagh site for violating prohibitory orders under section 144 Cr PC, which does not allow a gathering of more than five persons.

An official of the Delhi Police said due to lockdown in force in the city, protestors were asked to evict the site but they did not budge hence they were removed and the site was cleared.

Delhi police reached Shaheen Bagh at around 7 am to evacuate the protesters but the people gathered in large numbers when the police tried to explain about the pandemic coronavirus and strict lockdown in the city.

Later, the police had to remove the protesters forcibly. Later, the posters and the tent were cleared. Even the National Flag in the protest site was carefully brought down, said a police official.

To avoid any such protest and gathering in the future, heavy police deployment is in place.

A company of reserve police force conducted a flag march in Shaheen Bagh later.

Another protest site in Hauz Rani was cleared at 7 am however no person was detained or arrested, said another senior police official.

 “People at the protest site in Shaheen Bagh were requested today to clear the site as lockdown has been imposed. But after they refused, the action was taken against violators as the assembly was unlawful,” RP Meena, deputy commissioner of police Southeast Delhi, was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

“Protest site has been cleared. Some protesters have been detained,” Meena said.

The protest at Shaheen Bagh began on December 15 against the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and has been facing criticism from certain sections especially the right-wing organisations.

Since the outbreak of Covid-19 and restrictions, a few women protesters continued camping at the Shaheen Bagh site while a few pairs of slippers were left to show solidarity.

As several defied the lockdown on Monday, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had expressed his anguish. He cautioned city residents against venturing out unnecessarily.

Police commissioner Srivastava issued fresh orders for strict enforcement of prohibitory orders.

Security beefed up

The Delhi Police made adequate security bandobast at Shaheen Bagh. Security has also been beefed up in Jaffrabad area of northeast Delhi, where riots broke out in January over CAA protests.

Protesters bow down to coronavirus

Upset over the development, volunteers associated with Shaheen Bagh protest said police intervention was inevitable.

“Our protest site has been razed by Delhi police. The tents and posters and all the symbolic protest materials that we had kept has been removed. At a time when we were obeying and cooperating amid such a threat of coronavirus, the police have taken the advantage and cleared everything,” said a woman protester who is a teacher requesting anonymity at Shaheen Bagh said.

On Sunday, Shaheen Bagh had observed the Prime Minister’s call of Janta curfew but differences have cropped up among protesters. While some were convinced that in wake of coronavirus threat the protesters must take a break and leave, some had disagreed and instead asked five women to continue at the site.

“We accept the clearing. We need to fight the Corona outbreak first. We tried to clear it earlier but some of our protesters were not ready to do so,” said Asif Mujtaba who is a volunteer and IIT, Delhi student.

He said that police intervention was inevitable at this point. However, the protest will continue later.

“We will plan accordingly... The road blockade is just a part of the protest... We have not called off the protest yet,” Mujtaba added.

On Sunday, two unidentified miscreants hurled “unknown inflammable” item at the epicentre of anti- CAA protest-- Shaheen Bagh.

According to the witnesses, bike-borne perpetrators disguised as delivery boys threw glass bottles full of ‘unknown’ chemicals at barricades placed at a distance from the protest site and fled.

They further alleged that the bikers had also fired some shots in the air but the police are yet to confirm the incident.

Earlier in February, a man was arrested, who had fired two rounds in air near the protest site. No one was injured in the incident.

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