Woman injured in police action at Ramlila ground dead

New Delhi, Sep 26 (PTI) A 51-year-old woman, who was
battling for life for about four months in a city hospital
after she sustained serious spinal injuries in a police
crackdown against yoga guru Ramdev's fast at Ramlila Maidan,
died here in the Indian capital Monday.
Rajbala, who was in a critical condition for the past 114
days, breathed her last at the neurosurgery department ICU
of G B Pant Hospital here at 10:25 AM (IST), doctors said.
Admitted on June 4 after the midnight crackdown on
Ramdev's supporters, Rajbala, a resident of Gurgaon, underwent
surgery. She remained on ventilator since then and had become
a quadriplegic.
The police action, which attracted criticism from several
quarters, to evict Ramdev and his supporters from Ramlila
Maidan in the wee hours of June four resulted in injuries to
several people, including police personnel.
Ramdev and her family had alleged that she was injured in
police lathicharge. However, police had denied that there was
a lathicharge and claimed that she was injured in a stampede
during eviction of protesters.
Grieving family members blamed Delhi Police for her
death.
"She died due to police action. Everybody knows why
police took such action against the protest. We want our
mother back. Can they do that?" said Rakesh Malik, her
daughter-in-law.
Expressing grief over Rajbala's death, the BJP said it
had "exposed" the claim by the police, made before the Superme
Court, that there was no lathi charge on the protesters.
"It has exposed the police which had claimed that no
lathicharge or atrocities were committed on protesters,"
senior leader Rajnath Singh said.
Condoling the death of Rajbala, Ramdev said it was an
"irreparable loss to the whole organisation and the agitation"
against corruption.
"This is the ultimate sacrifice. Her sacrifice will not
go in vain and millions of her brothers and sisters will
continue to fight for the cause," he said in a statement Rajbala's condition was very critical from day one and
her vital parameters were being maintained with increased
pharmacological support, doctors said.
Malik claimed that no compensation was given to them and
they did not expect anything.
"We don't need compensation. What do you expect from
government when the Prime Minister or any other senior leader
have not uttered a single word to us on this," she said.
Malik alleged that all injuries sustained by Rajbala had
not been mentioned in the MLC report.
"My mother-in-law told the police and us that she was
beaten up by the police. Even in the MLC report, all the
injuries were not reported. There is a conspiracy," she
alleged.
The National Human Rights Commission had on June six
sought a report from the Indian Home Ministry, Delhi
government and Delhi Police following allegations of
"unconstitutional police action" in which several people,
including children, women and senior citizens, were injured.