Street vendors protesting eviction detained in Ambala

Amid heavy police deployment, protesters were detained for entering the prohibited old site. They were later released from the Shahzadpur police station post assurance

Street vendors of the old cloth market in Ambala City on Friday stepped out in large numbers to protest eviction from their old hawking site during an anti-encroachment drive in May.

Led by street vendor union’s president Ram Das and Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) state spokesperson Vivek Chaudhary Lallana, the protests also witnessed the participation of other politicians. (HT Photo)

Amid heavy police deployment, protesters were detained for entering the prohibited old site. They were later released from the Shahzadpur police station post assurance.

Led by union’s president Ram Das and Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) state spokesperson Vivek Chaudhary Lallana, the protests also witnessed the participation of other politicians, including JJP district president Dalbir Punia, deputy mayor and HJCP leader Rajesh Mehta, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) district president Vinod Dhiman and Vishwa Hindu Takht chief Viresh Shandilya among others.

The authorities, meanwhile, said the protest, which has been underway near the bus stand for the last 46 days, hampers movement of buses and leads to traffic jams.

According to the officials, police removed the vendors on request of the municipal corporation and roadways authorities, and were allotted space near the LIC building, away from the site in question.

The issue was also raised during the MC house meeting by Lallana’s wife and member of the house, Pooja Chaudhary, but it was allegedly not listed in the proceedings of the meeting prepared later.