Coronavirus lockdown: Police vacate Shaheen Bagh protesters after 3 months

Protestors against the citizenship law at Shaheen Bagh were vacated by the Delhi Police amid coronavirus outbreak on Tuesday morning, officials said.

The women agitators have been on a sit-in at Shaheen Bagh for over three months, protesting the newly amended Citizenship Act.

 

Deputy Commissioner of Police (southeast) R P Meena said people at the protest venue in Shaheen Bagh were requested to vacate the site as lockdown has been imposed due to coronavirus outbreak.

 

A total of nine protesters including six women were detained and taken to a nearby police station, Deputy Commissioner of Police (southeast) R P Meena said. Meena speaking to PTI said that the action was taken as a result of the protesters flouting lockdown norms and assembling in large numbers. About 50 protesters including men were at the venue when it was vacated.

The move comes a day after an unidentified man allegedly hurled petrol bomb near the site. However, no one sustained any injuries. 

On Sunday, during the 'Janta curfew', only five women were at the site while others had left their slippers as a symbol of solidarity. The women were taking all precautions amid the coronavirus outbreak and sanitisers had been arranged at the venue to ensure utmost hygiene, the agency reported quoting anonymous sources.
 

Meanwhile, advocate Amit Sahni, who filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking clearance of the anti-CAA protest site in Shaheen Bagh welcomed the move and said that it has come as a great relief.

"It is a great relief for lakhs of commuters from Noida, Faridabad and Delhi. The intervention by the authorities came quite late, and perhaps it was one of the reasons for Delhi riots," said Sahni to PTI. He added, "Protesters were not moving from their place despite the directions of the authorities so as to prevent the spread of Covid-19. No one should be permitted to block public roads which cause inconvenience to the public.".

"I put my sincere efforts for this public cause. I apologise the issue could not be redressed at the appropriate time due to reasons beyond my control," he added.