Farmers’ Tractor rally: 300 cops injured, 22 FIRs filed

The farmers’ tractor rally in New Delhi on Republic Day took a violent turn as a section of protesters broke through police barricades and entered parts of the national capital not permitted for their protest.

Clashes broke out between protesters and police in which several people were injured and vehicles overturned. The police resorted to lathi-charge and fired teargas shells to disperse the protestors but to little avail.

Farmers’ leaders who have been leading the two-month-old agitation on the outskirts of Delhi and have been engaged in talks with the government, distanced themselves from the violence. Twenty-two FIRs have been filed so far in connection with the violence.

According to the police, more than 300 policemen were injured. Security has been tightened at Delhi borders and the iconic Red Fort.

Tens of thousands of farmers atop tractors broke barriers on Tuesday, clashed with police and entered the city from various points to storm into the Red Fort. The protesters climbed on to the ramparts of the Red Fort and waved their flags.

One of them climbed the flagpost where the Tricolour is hoisted by the Prime Minister of India on Independence Day and hoisted a religious flag there. Later, the police resorted to lathicharge. Police managed to remove the crowd from the rampart.

As tension spiralled, a home ministry official said additional paramilitary troops will be deployed. The exact number of additional troops was not known immediately but officials suggested it could be around 1,500 to 2,000 personnel (about 15 to 20 companies).