11 hurt in Swaraj Abhiyan clash

Seven members of the Yogendra Yadav-led Swaraj Abhiyan and four police personnel sustained injuries on Sunday night when cops used force to disperse them near Jantar Mantar in the city.

The clash took place the night before a farmers’ march to the venue, organised by the group led by the expelled Aam Aadmi Party leader. According to an injured volunteer, who got hit on his head, they were sitting at the place when all of a sudden a police team rushed towards them and started wielding the stick.

“Last night at around 10.45 pm, we were sitting at Jantar Mantar when Delhi Police personnel came and started beating us; they wanted us to leave the place,” Manish told Deccan Herald.

Manish, who got ten stitches on his head, was admitted to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. Other volunteers are reported to have fractured their hands and one of them suffered internal injuries.

Swaraj Abhiyan volunteers said they informed Yadav immediately about the incident who rushed to the spot in 10 minutes. However, police personnel didn’t relent.
Police, however, said they went to disperse others sitting on dharna near Jantar Mantar for months.

“Delhi Police personnel went to the venue to remove a group of protesters who had been sitting at Jantar Mantar for the last two years. We had orders to remove them and we had already intimated them about our decision in the afternoon itself,” said Vijay Singh, Deputy Commissioner Police (Central). Police used force only when they faced resistance from the other side, he added.

“When the police personnel reached the spot and started removing the protesters some of them became aggressive,” said the officer.

“Some supporters of Yogendra Yadav intervened on behalf of those being removed. The policemen told them to go away as it was a security-related matter but they did not relent following which there was a scuffle,” he said.