NEW DELHI: Ramlila Maidan lathicharge victim, Rajbala succumbed to her injuries on Monday morning. The 51-year-old woman was injured in the police crackdown on the yoga guru's anti-corruption gathering in June this year. Rajbala was admitted at the capital's GB Pant Hospital for the last few months.
Rakesh Malik's mother-in-law Rajbala was hospitalised on June 5 after being seriously injured in the midnight police crackdown on Baba Ramdev's camp at the Ramlila Maidan.
Her family, outraged at the system's indifference, says the authorities are now trying to cover up their role in the incident "She told me she was beaten up and had sustained injuries from the police lathicharge. No mention of these injuries in police report," said Rakesh.
Rajbala, an active social worker, had trained to be a yoga teacher after watching Baba Ramdev's yoga sessions on TV. An ardent Ramdev follower, she chose to spend the night at Ramdev's anti-graft gathering instead of returning home with her family.
That Saturday night in June, over 60 people including police personnel were injured at the Ramlila Maidan.
Once the news of Rajbala's death trickled in, Baba Ramdev plans to cut short his yoga camp in Kanpur to visit the family.
"We will fight for her justice till the murderers are brought to book," said Ramdev.
Rajbala's family said she felt honoured to be a part of Ramdev's anti-corruption campaign. Despite the security arrangements promised at the venue, her grieving family alleges that the very people, who were meant to protect her, snuffed out Rajbala's life. - Smriti Advani
Death of Ramdev supporter proves brutality: BJP
NEW DELHI: Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Monday said the death of a 51-year-old woman, injured in police action to break up a meeting of Baba Ramdev here in June, showed brutal action was taken against the yoga guru's supporters.
Former party president Rajnath Singh said the death of victim Raj Bala showed that the people at Ramlila ground were baton charged and the government was lying when it said force was not used.
The 51-year-old woman slipped into coma after receiving spinal injury in police action to break up a meeting of yoga guru Baba Ramdev here after midnight of June 4. She died Monday after being hospitalised for 114 days.
"The home ministry gave a statement in the Supreme Court stating that there was no baton charge in the Ramlila ground," Rajnath Singh said.
"But the reality of that affidavit has come out. What has the government got to say now if she was not attacked brutally, then why did she die after battling in hospital for months," he questioned.
"Who ever are responsible, action should be taken and they should be punished," he added.