Shaheen Bagh, the epicentre of anti-CAA protests in the National Capital, was cleared by the Delhi Police amid stringent coronavirus lockdown on Tuesday morning. Occupied by the anti-citizenship law protesters for over 100 days, Shaheen Bagh was vacated by the police after numerous pleas failed to move the agitators. Though the number had dwindled over the week due to the coronavirus scare, it was only on Tuesday that the site was completely cleared by the police. News Nation has learnt that the police have also detained some protesters during the morning operations. Informing about the morning action, DCP South East RP Meena said, "People at the protest site in Shaheen Bagh were requested today to clear the site as lockdown has been imposed. But after they refused, action was taken against violators as the assembly was unlawful. Protest site has been cleared. Some protestors have also been detained." Restrictions were imposed on the Kalindi Kunj-Shaheen Bagh stretch and the Okhla underpass, which were closed on December 15 last year due to protests against CAA and NRC.
Shaheen Bagh is not the only site that has been cleared by the Delhi Police. In riot-hit North-East Delhi, the police removed the agitators from another site in Jaffrabad. Around 20 women were holding Shaheen Bagh-style protest in the area. The Delhi Police said that it tried to convince the protesters and told them about coronavirus lockdown and Section 144 in place. However, the women refused to vacate the site. After this, the police came into action and cleared the site. Some protesters were also detained during the clearing operations.
Earlier on Sunday during the Janta curfew, an unidentified assailant lobbed a petrol bomb near Shaheen Bagh protest site. According to a report of PTI, the petrol bomb was hurled near Shaheen Bagh protest site at around 9.30 AM on Sunday. Moreover, a police team has found five-six petrol-filled bottles near the protest site. Recently, son of a Shaheen Bagh’s anti-CAA protester was tested positive for the deadly coronavirus, which has so far claimed at 10 lives in India. According to the reports, to break the chain of coronavirus, the protesters at Shaheen Bagh were complying with the rule with less than 50 people sitting at the site at one time. The protesters were sitting at a distance of at least 2 feet away from each other to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
(With agency inputs)
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