Farmers’ Rally Called Off: 83 Personnel Injured In Attacks By Protesters; Additional Paramilitary Deployed

The farmers’ tractor rally scheduled for today took a violent turn as the protesters refused to adhere to the regulations of the police. The mob stormed the Red Fort after breaking through barricades at different border points in Delhi.

Video footages showed protesters attacking the police personnel with lathis and swords in hands. They were also seen ramming their tractors in the buses parked by police in the ITO area of the Capital.

The farmers deviated from pre-decided routes, prompting security personnel to resort to lathi-charge and using tear gas, reports Hindustan Times.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a meeting to take stock of law and order situation after protests turn violent. He ordered deployment of additional paramilitary to Delhi.

Delhi Police says that during the farmers protests today, 83 police personnel have been injured after being attacked by protesters. Reportedly, at least 19 people have been taken to two Delhi hospitals following violence.

"The time and the routes for the tractor rally were finalised after several rounds of meetings. But farmers drove tractors off the routes and before the fixed time, leading to vandalism in which many police personnel were injured," news agency ANI quoted Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava as saying.

"Public properties have also been damaged. I appeal to the protesting farmers not to indulge in violence, maintain peace and return through the designated routes," he aadded.

Several Delhi Metro stations and the Connaught Place were closed down amidst the chaos. The internet services in several parts of Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), including Sonipat, Palwal, and Jhajjar districts of Haryana, have also been suspended to arrest the spread of rumours.

Director General of Police of Haryana Manoj Yadav issued a ‘high alert’ directing all district police chiefs to be extremely vigilant.

Around 5.30 pm, Samyukt Kisan Morcha called off Kisan Republic Day Parade with immediate effect and appealed to all participants to immediately return to their respective protest sites, and many Farmers began returning to Tikri and Singhu borders on their tractors.

The traffic movement has reportedly resumed on as normal on Shastri Park to ISBT, Mukarba Chowk to Singhu Border, Loni Border, Chintamani Chowk, Barapullah and DND, at NH-24, NH9 towards Ghaziabad. It is also resumed at Peeragarhi Chowk, Punjabi Bagh Chowk, Vikas Marg, Delhi Gate and Anand Vihar.