New Delhi: Delhi Police said on Sunday that they cracked down on yoga guru Baba Ramdev after midnight Saturday in order to avoid law and order problems.
"You know better how the crowd is during day time, that is why the action was taken at night," Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat said.
In the operation which he said started around 1 am, police forcibly took away the yoga guru from the Ramlila Ground. His supporters were dispersed using tear gas and batons.
Delhi Police Commissioner BK Gupta said tear gas was used only after his supporters attacked police with stones.
"We never used force first. We used tear gas only when they attacked policemen with stones. The Baba took protection among women volunteers and he left the spot," Gupta said.
He quoted Ramdev as saying initially that 5,000 people would reach the protest venue but said over 50,000 came. "We cannot allow this kind of gatherings."
He said Ramdev had been told he would be detained.
"We informed Baba Ramdev he will be detained as there was a security threat because more people had thronged the place than its capacity," he said.
IANS
