New Delhi: Protesting farmers clashed with police at several places in the national capital. The protesting farmers also entered the iconic Red Fort and ITO in the heart of the city Tuesday. The situation happened after hundreds of them deviated from pre-decided routes. Their moves prompted security personnel to resort to lathicharge and tear gas.
Chaotic scenes were witnessed at ITO. Hundreds of protesters could be seen chasing police personnel with sticks. They also rammed their tractors into the buses parked by police. At the ITO, a bus was vandalised by angry farmers.
Police used tear gas on groups of farmers and resorted to baton charge as protestors broke past barricades with tractors at different border points. They did not take the pre-decided routes for their march in the national capital.
In the morning, groups of protesting farmers camping at Singhu and Tikri border points of the national capital broke police barricades to force their way into the city.
Police baton charged farmers at Chintamani Chowk in Shahdara when they broke barricades and smashed window panes of cars. A group of ‘Nihangs’ (traditional Sikh warriors) clashed with security personnel near Akshardham Temple.
At Nangloi Chowk in west Delhi and at Mukarba Chowk farmers broke cemented barricades. Police used tear gas to disperse them. An official said police personnel used tear gas to disperse groups of farmers coming from the Singhu border point as they tried to hold a march on the ‘Outer Ring Road’ much ahead of the allotted time.
Meanwhile, senior farmer Balbir Singh Rajewal said farmers were following the pre-decided route. No one from the Sankyukt Kisan Morcha went to the Outer Ring Road, he added. “We condemn violence against farmers, appeal to all to maintain peace,” said.
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The Delhi Police appealed to the protesting farmers to not take law in their hands and maintain peace as clashes between the force and protesting farmers broke out at a number of places in the national capital.
The police also asked the farmers to head back to their pre-decided routes for the tractor parade. “We request to the protesting farmers to not take law in their hands and maintain peace,” Additional PRO Anil Mittal said.
A member of the Sankyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of 41 unions, said those who broke the barricades at Tikri border points belonged to the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee.
The entry and exit gates of more than 10 metro stations in central and north Delhi were temporarily closed Tuesday. The decision to close down came after clashes between police and protesting farmers.
Earlier in the day, chanting ‘rang de basanti’ and ‘’jai jawan jai kisan’ numerous farmers rode tractors, motorbikes, horses and even cranes to cross the national capital’s borders into the city for their proposed parade against the three contentious farm laws. Locals stood on both sides of the roads at various locations showering flower petals on the farmers amid drum beats.
Standing atop vehicles decked up with flags, the protesters danced to the tune of patriotic songs such as ‘Aisa desh hai mera’ and ‘Sare jahan se achcha’.