Cops justify Ramlila crackdown

In an affidavit, the police claimed that they had used only eight teargas shells as the mob had turned violent after being told to vacate the premises on the intervening night of June 4 and 5 and even pelted stones.

They also claimed that Ramdev was granted permission to hold yoga camp with a gathering of only 5,000 people, while crowds swelled to more than 20,000.
The police also accused the Yoga guru of instigating the mob during his fast on the issue of corruption and black money.

The apex court had earlier taken suo motu cognizance of the police atrocities and use of brutal force by them during the midnight crackdown against Ramdev and his supporters.
The court had sought response from the Union home secretary, the Delhi chief secretary and the Delhi police commissioner within two weeks detailing the circumstances that had led to the crackdown.

The police, in its response, said the action on the intervening night of June 4 and 5 was taken to prevent any untoward incident because the gathering was far beyond the grounds capacity of 8,000-10,000 people.

Citing the "provocative" speeches made by religious and political leaders, including Sadhvi Ritambara, one of the accused in Ayodhya case as the main reason for cancelling permission for the Yoga guru's protest at Ramlila Maidan here, the police claimed that Ramdev and his associates had refused to accept denial of permission, daring senior officials to do "whatever they wanted".

In the FIR filed at Kamla Market police station following the crackdown at Ramlila Maidan, police said though they had sought permission only for 5,000 people, the organisers had installed 800 toilets."On June four morning, the yoga session led by Ramdev went on for three hours and it took the colour of a rally due to the presence of Sadhvi Ritambara, Maulana Kalbe Jabbar, Akali Dal leader Omkar Singh Thapar and other religious and political leaders who made provocative speeches.

 Keeping their activities in view, senior officials held consultation and decided to cancel the permission for the camp," Surinder Jeet Kaur, the Station House Officer of Kamla Market, said in the FIR which was annexed to the affidavit.

At around 12:30 am, Kaur said, police went to meet Ramdev and his associates Balkrishna, Virendra Vikram and Swami Sampoornanand who refused to accept the letter cancelling the permission.