Shaheen Bagh protest site cleared by Delhi Police amid COVID-19 outbreak

New Delhi: The 101-day long Shaheen Bagh protest that was termed as ‘heart of anti-CAA protests in India’, was cleared by the Delhi Police on Tuesday morning at around 7 O’clock.

Police say the site had to be cleared following the outbreak of COVID-19 and the curfew imposed in Delhi to stop the spread of the deadly virus.

According to the police, no force was used during the process, however, several protesters, who refused to leave the venue despite continuous persuasion, had to be taken into detention.

Deputy Commissioner of Police R.P. Meena said, “Police requested them to vacate the place but they refused. So, police cleared the area and detained a few protesters.”

The Delhi Police also said, “All protest sites have been cleared — Jaffrabad, Jamia and Turkman Gate. Some persons have been detained at all these places as well.”

The agitation at Shaheen Bagh began on December 15 after the police action in Jamia Millia Islamia where the police allegedly used force against the anti-CAA protesters in which many students were injured.

According to the locals of Shaheen Bagh, police reached the protest site at around 6.45 a.m. and asked the protesters to vacate the site citing the curfew but they refused which led to their detention.

“We were following precautions for protection against COVID-19, only five of us were sitting on the site but they (Delhi police) did not allow us to protest. They have removed us forcibly,” one of the lady protesters said. (IANS)

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