Midnight police swoop on Baba Ramdev, detention ends protest

New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) With talks breaking down,
police swooped down on Baba Ramdev a little past midnight and
detained him after firing tear gas shells and resorting to
lathicharge on his supporters to end his day-old indefinite
hunger strike on black money issue.
The dramatic police action came after government and
the 46-year-old Yoga Guru had accused each other the previous
night of betrayal on mutual assurances.
The drama that broke the midnight calm in the Ramlila
Maidan a little after 1 am unfolded when a large number of
police personnel descended at the protest venue where Ramdev
was demanding immediate action to bring back black money
stashed in foreign tax havens.
After day break, police cleared all the remnants of
Baba's support by evicting his followers from the protest site
amidst stiff resistance.
Delhi Police spokesman Rajan Bhagat said Baba Ramdev
was detained as he was leaving the site.
Later sources said he was allowed to go out of Delhi
and probably he was headed to Haridwar.
Earlier, Home Secretary G K Pillai had maintained that
he was not arrested or detained, a point echoed by Delhi
Police Commissioner B K Gupta, who also rushed to the spot.
Gupta said there were some security concerns and that
the permission for the yoga camp has been cancelled.
He said Ramdev's supporters indulged in stone
throwing. Police did not use force except to use some tear
gas, he added.

Ramdev's key aide, Tijarawala alleged that he has been
"kidnapped" by police and he feared for his life. The
spokesman appealed to the Chief Justice of India to intervene
and ensure Ramdev's safety and release.
The police withdrew the permission for his yoga camp
and imposed prohibitory orders after what a senior police
official said a political decision was taken to end the
protest.
The previous night the government and Ramdev indulged
in a blame game. Union Minister Kapil Sibal, who had
negotiated with Ramdev, made public a letter written by his
aide that the fast would be called off on Saturday evening if
government gave written assurances on a legislation to bring
back the black money from abroad and stringent punishment to
offenders.
Ramdev hit back saying government has indulged in
"betrayal and cheating" and vowed not to talk to Sibal ever in
his life. He said he would go by the word of the Prime
Minister.
After mutual accusations, the government on late
Saturday night sent a fresh letter of assurance on his demands
and appealed to him to withdraw his fast.
In the midnight drama, that was enacted live in front
of television cameras, Ramdev's supporters, who were woken up
from their sleep, rose in protest against the police action.
Some elderly people swooned due to the impact of tear
gas shelling resorted to by police.
30 of his supporters have been admitted to a nearby
government hospital for treatment of injuries allegedly
suffered during the police action.

Chaos and commotion prevailed when the police,
including a contingent of the Rapid Action Force (RAF),
arrived at the venue and approached Ramdev, who was sleeping
on the specially-erected rostrum from where he was addressing
his supporters throughout the day.
As news spread that Ramdev may be arrested, a posse of
supporters, including women, formed a human cordon around him
making the job of police difficult to approach him.
Some supporters carried Baba Ramdev, who jumped from
the dias, on their shoulders and that was the last that he was
seen on television screens before he was removed from the
place and detained.
Earlier, Ramdev was seen appealing to the supporters
to remain calm and sought to pacify them while urging them not
to resort to violence.
There was a minor fire when one of the tear gas shells
emitted spark while falling near the stage. The blaze was put
out immediately.
In his address to the supporters, Ramdev appealed to
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to allow him to be arrested
during daytime.
"Why am I being arrested without any information, at
night? I appeal to people to maintain calm...," Ramdev told
the gathering.
He also appealed the people of Delhi to come in large
numbers to the protest venue.
A section of supporters threw pots, tripods and mike
stands on cops to prevent them from coming close to the stage.
The crowd dispersed from the stage after police fired
tear gas shells. People were seen vacating the dais and the
surrounding area after tear gas enveloped the whole area.