INDIA
For Ramdev and security establishment, it was high drama -- from his going missing to finding him and then sending him to Dehradun in a special plane.
Baba Ramdev lived up to his billing as a maverick today as he jumped from the dais in Ramlila Maidan and melted in the crowd before resurfacing in a salwar-kameez in a bid to dodge past the police posing as an injured woman.
But the script went wrong for the 46-year-old yoga gurn as some cops grew suspicious after the "seriously injured woman", who was walking with both arms thrown over the shoulders of two women, refused to board an ambulance offered by them.
For Ramdev and security establishment, it was high drama -- from his going missing to finding him and then sending him to Dehradun in a special plane.
It was 4am and almost three hours had gone by after the police lost track of the yoga guru who leapt from a 3m high rostrum into a sea of his followers teeming under a giant tent and did a vanishing act.
Ramdev had sought five minutes from the police to gather his belongings but he swiftly picked up the microphone and shouted 'Vande Mataram' to rouse his followers from slumber and resist the police plan to break up the protest.
Senior police officials had gone there to inform him about "specific" intelligence inputs about threat to his life and another person and to request him to wind up the protest.
He melted in the crowd and police began frantic searches for the guru who sneaked behind the podium where he shed his saffron attire and slip into a white salwar-kameez.
As a camouflaged Ramdev tried out make his way out, his supporters fought pitched battles with police, throwing bricks and flower pots forcing the men in uniform to respond by exploding tear gas shells.
"Ramdev was posing as a woman. He used a silver colour 'dupatta' to cover his black beard. He was walking with his arms over the shoulders of two women. As the policemen, who were posted behind the dais, found "an injured woman", they offered to take her to hospital in ambulance.
"But the victim refused and in between the dupatta got slightly displaced, betraying Ramdev's identity to police. He ran but our men trailed him and caught him," Dharmendra Kumar, special commissioner (law and order), told reporters in Delhi.
At 4am, the police took him to a airport guest house and started making preparations for his journey to Haridwar via Dehradun from Safdurjung Airport.
The news got leaked that he would be brought to Safdurjung Airport, leading to a gathering of Ramdev's followers and prompting the government to adopt a Plan-B.
A top government source said as per law, the Centre has to inform the state government, to which a person is externed and in this case, it was BJP-ruled Uttarakhand. The source said the news got leaked from Dehradun that he would be flown from Safdurjung Airport and Ramdev's followers gathered there.
The government had already arranged another plane at the IGI airport and seeing the gathering, they decided to take the yoga guru to the IGI airport from where he was flown to Dehradun in a special aircraft. After he was detained, he was kept in a government guesthouse.
In the midnight drama broadcast live by television cameras, Ramdev's supporters rose in protest against the police action while some elderly men swooned due to the impact of tear gas shelling resorted to by police.
Police action came after they withdrew the permission for his yoga camp and imposed prohibitory orders after what a senior police official said a political decision was taken to end the protest.
Mukesh Ambani's best plan for Jio users, 200GB data, 90 days of unlimited calls at just Rs...
'Thanks for...': Abhishek Bachchan's viral statement amid divorce rumours with Aishwarya Rai
Jammu and Kashmir: 2 terrorists killed in encounter with security forces in Anantnag
21-Day Mars, Moon simulation in Ladakh
Prashant Kishor's fee for advising in one election will leave you shocked, it is Rs...
Dua Padukone Singh: Here's how Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh named their baby girl
Another BIG move by Mukesh Ambani, set to provide some help for debt-ridden Ghana as Reliance Jio...
J-K: Gun battle breaks out between security forces and terrorists in Srinagar's Khanyar
Noel Tata takes BIG decision at TCS after Ratan Tata's death, plans to hire...
'Will chop them up...': Mithun Chakraborty hits out at TMC’s Humayun Kabir at Kolkata rally
Delhi Air Pollution: Delhi-NCR AQI turns ‘very poor’ as city wakes up to toxic smog post-Diwali
Gautam Adani's next BIG step: Adani Power stops Bangladesh’s power supply due to...
Indian troops start patrolling Demchok sector in eastern Ladakh following India-China disengagement
Amy Jackson announces first pregnancy with husband Ed Westwick, flaunts baby bump in adorable pics
In THIS Indian village, families live with cobras, the reason is...
Hardik Pandya flaunts his special 'World Champion' ring after being retained by MI, video goes viral
Happy Govardhan Puja 2024: Top 50 WhatsApp wishes, messages, quotes for loved ones
Despite massive Diwali opening, is Singham Again paying the price for banking on huge star cast?
Shah Rukh Khan's heartfelt gesture towards jewellery store staff wins internet, watch
DNA TV Show: Public calls out celebrities’ hypocrisy on Diwali pollution
Fashion designer Rohit Bal dies at 63: Last year, he was on ventilator for heart ailments
BCCI scraps India's intra squad warm-up game ahead of Border-Gavaskar Trophy, reason revealed
Legendary fashion designer Rohit Bal dies at 63 after prolonged illness
Another terrorist attack in J-K, militants shoot two non-locals in Budgam
Meet Anish Sarkar, world's youngest FIDE-rated chess player at 3 years
Bigg Boss 18: These two wild cards to enter Salman Khan's show, get into heated argument on stage
Fact check: Did Abhishek Bahchan tie knot with Nimrat Kaur amid divorce rumours with Aishwarya Rai?
Govardhan Puja 2024: History, significance, Puja timings; why it is celebrated after Diwali?
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan Birthday: Kajol pens heartfelt wishes for actress, calls her…
Dhirubhai Ambani played matchmaker for Mukesh Ambani and Nita Ambani, he did...
Amid Diwali festivities, UPI sets new record in October with transactions over…
PM Modi's BIG attack on Congress: 'Making unreal promises is easy but...'
Singham Again box office collection day 1: Ajay Devgn film beats Kartik Aaryan-starrer, earns Rs...
'Always fun to...': Google CEO Sundar Pichai shares why Diwali is his 'favourite time of the year'
Why Rishabh Pant and Delhi Capitals parted ways ahead of IPL 2025 auction? Report makes huge claim
'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3', 'Singham Again' banned in Saudi Arabia; know why
Delhi Government announces public holiday for THIS festival, find details here
Despite festive season, Rs 7.90 lakh cars lying unsold, it is worth...; here's the reason
'CSK Ne Chaal Chal Di': Ex-India star takes humourous dig at franchise’s decision on MS Dhoni
IPL 2025: 23-year-old Agra cricketer gets staggering salary increase of 6900 per cent, to earn.....
Nita Ambani turns 60: Know Mukesh Ambani's wife's lavish lifestyle, income, houses and more
NASA shares Diwali wishes with a cosmic twist, reveals Hubble image of...
What is an onion bomb? One killed, six injured in firecracker explosion in Andhra Pradesh
Meet IIT-JEE topper with AIR 1, who scored 341 marks in JEE Advanced, went on to pursue...
25 Billion Kilometers and Broken Voice: The Voyager 1 Saga
Mukesh Ambani's superhit plan for Jio users, 2GB data per day, unlimited calls at just Rs...
Bigg Boss 18: Shehzada Dhami out from Salman Khan's show? Here's what we know
Virat Kohli's epic dance move to 'My Name is Lakhan' during IND vs NZ match goes viral, WATCH