Farmers Tractor Rally Update: The farmers protest which were identified as a peaceful platform to put forth the demands of the farmers, took an unfortunate turn on India’s 72nd Republic Day as protesters broke past barricades, breached the Red Fort and planted their flag atop it, leading to unprecedented chaos on a national festival day along their way. Also Read: Farmers' Tractor Rally: Who Is Deep Sidhu? Know All About The Actor Who Is Accused Of Instigating Farmers At Red Fort
Here are the top developments of the incident:
22 FIRs registered: At least 22 FIRs have been registered in connection with the violence during farmers' tractor rally yesterday. So far, 5 FIRs have been lodged in Eastern Range.
Over 300 personnel received injuries: According to a statement by police, more than 300 police personnel have reported injuries in the violence. Several photos and videos of injured cops have been doing rounds on the social media.
One protester dead: A protester died after his tractor overturned near ITO, one of the major flashpoints of trouble.
Deep Sidhu & Others' involvement: Punjabi actor Deep Sidhu has instigated protesters as part of the farmers' tractor rally and led them to the Red Fort in Delhi, accused farmer leaders. In his defence, actor Deep Sidhu said in a Facebook LIVE video, "We only hoisted the Nishan Sahib at the Red Fort while exercising our democratic right to protest, the Indian flag was not removed." In a Facebook LIVE video on Tuesday evening, Sidhu claimed it was not a planned move and that they should not be given any communal colour or dubbed as fundamentalists or hardliners.
Role of gangster-turned-activist Lakha Sidhana in R-Day violence is under scanner.
Hoisting the religious flag: The two-month-long farmers’ protest in the National Capital Region reached its climax on Republic Day when protesters stormed the Red Fort and hoisted a flag. As soon the flag was hoisted, netizens started debating the nature of the flag and a massive outrage was seen after a religious flag was hoisted. In the video, a person is seen climbing a pole and hoisting a flag. The pole neither had any any flag and nor the person was seen removing any flag in the video either.
It was a Nishan Sahib, a light yellow-coloured flag that is hoisted on every gurudwara, except those of Nanaksarias.
ITO became hub of violence: At ITO, a large group of farmers, who had come from Gazipur and Singhu borders, attempted to move towards Luytens' Delhi. When they were stopped by policemen, a group of these farmers became violent and broke the barricades, damaged iron grills and dividers and even tried to run over the policemen deployed at these barricades, the police said in the statement.
Viral video of Rakesh Tikait : Meanwhile, a video of Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait is going viral on social media. On this video he can be seen appealing to supporters saying enough is enough now be armed with lathis and hoist your flag or you won’t be able to save your land.
Metro Gates: The entry and exit gates of at least 20 metro stations were closed as chaos escalated due to the farmers' protest turning violent on Tuesday. However, Entry and exit gates of Lal Quila and Jama Masjid metro station are closed. All other stations are open, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) took to Twitter to inform the public.
Earlier on Tuesday, the DMRC announced the temporary closure of the entry and exit gates of more than 10 metro stations in central and north Delhi following clashes between police and protesting farmers at a number of places in the national capital.
Security heightened: Security tightened at Red Fort in the national capital. A group of protestors climbed to the ramparts of the fort and unfurled flags yesterday Ghazipur Mandi, NH-9 and NH-24 have been closed for traffic movement. People commuting from Delhi to Ghaziabad are advised to take Shahdara, Karkari Mor and DND, says Delhi Traffic Police.
Security has been beefed up at Singhu border where farmers are protesting against the farm laws.