The Delhi Police said that protesting farmers broke barricades at multiple locations and also “attacked police vehicles and security personnel with deadly weapons,” providing a thorough account of tractor rally violence in the national capital on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, on the occasion of 72nd Republic Day, unruly and chaotic scenes were witnessed in many sections of the national capital as a portion of the farm laws stormed into the city way before the pre-decided time.
During a meeting between police and farm leaders the day before the rally, the protesters also deviated from the routes agreed and entered ITO in the heart of the national capital and the iconic Red Fort and hoisted flags from some of the iconic monument’s domes.
Sayunkt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of 41 farmer organisations, proposed a tractor rally on the occasion of Republic Day on Tuesday and had also conducted several rounds of meetings with the Delhi Police during which they had given an undertaking to the police to take out a peaceful rally as per the proposed plans on four agreed-upon routes.
The police said, giving step by step account of the violence, “About 6000-7000 tractors had assembled at the Singhu borders on 26.01.2021 at about 08.30 am and they were to reach up to Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar and take the right turn.” They insisted on going to central Delhi instead of the accepted road, and despite Delhi Police persuasion, the farmers led by Nihangs were absolutely on their horses with deadly weapons like swords, kripans and fursas charged the police and broke the several layers of barricades, which were erected between Mukarba Chowk and Transport Nagar.”
Similar incidents were registered by the police from the borders of Gazipur and Tikri, adding that protesting farmers not only broke barricades but also assaulted police vehicles and fatally armed police personnel. At many points, the farmers at the Gazipur border broke the barricades and moved towards the ITO, where the farmers who had come from the Singhu border joined them.At Tikri border also, the farmers did not agree to the scheduled plan and fought pitched battle with Delhi Police…Instead of turning towards Najafgarh, they headed towards Peeragarhi and further towards Central Part of Delhi,” a press statement read.
