Coronavirus Scare: Shaheen Bagh Cleared By Police Amid COVID-19 Lockdown In Delhi

Many protesters at the site were seen donned in masks and maintaining distance to mitigate the chances of spreading the deadly virus.

In view of the complete lockdown in the national capital to thwart the COVID-19 spread, Delhi Police cleared the protest site in Shaheen Bagh on Tuesday. (ANI)

New Delhi: In view of the complete lockdown in the national capital to thwart the COVID-19 spread, Delhi Police cleared the protest site in Shaheen Bagh on Tuesday where a large number of people were agitating against the Citizenship Amendment Act. A few protesters were also detained for "unlawful assembly" during the lockdown. "People at the protest site in Shaheen Bagh were requested today to clear the site as lockdown has been imposed. But after they refused, the action was taken against violators as the assembly was unlawful. Protest site has been cleared. Some protestors have been detained," RP Meena, DCP South-East district. On Monday, the number of protestors who have been on a sit-in protest against the CAA was reduced significantly. Watch | Shaheen Bagh evacuated, 5 taken into custody A protester was quoted by ANI as saying, "We respect and obey the decision taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It has been urged that a minimum number of people should gather at one place so people are coming here in shifts, in groups of five. We are ready to combat with coronavirus. We are following what has been told like wearing gloves, masks and using sanitisers." Many protesters at the site were seen donned in masks and maintaining distance to mitigate the chances of spreading the deadly virus. The agitation at Shaheen Bagh was going on since December 15 after the police action in Jamia Millia where police used force against the anti-CAA protesters in which many students were injured allegedly. Shaheen Bagh had become a symbol of anti-CAA protest and was replicated in some other parts. However, amid the fear of spread of the COVID-19 spread, protests in other places were called off. Watch | Corona outbreak limits Shaheen Bagh to 5 protesters a day Shaheen Bagh protesters had tweeted on the day of the Janata Curfew after a petrol bomb was hurled at the barricades, "We are committed to cooperating with the law of the land and request all our well wishers and sympathisers to abide by the same. We are all in this together. We will come back stronger. This is not over. "In spite of all this, and in line with the State directives issued to contain the #COVID 19 threat facing our nation, we bravely continue our protest today with only five women protesters marking their resistance on behalf of all of us at Shaheen Bagh." (with inputs from agency)