Tractor Rally: Protestor Who Died At ITO Had Returned From Australia To Celebrate His Wedding

The 27-year-old agitator was crushed under the tractor he was driving after it overturned on the road at ITO.

New Delhi: Farmers sit near the mortal remains of a protestor, who died after his tractor overturned during Kisan Gantantra Parade to protest against Centres farm reform laws, on the occasion of 72nd Republic Day, at ITO in New Delhi, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021. (PTI Photo/Shahbaz Khan)

New Delhi: While over 300 police personnel suffered injuries during the clash with protesters on Republic day, one agitator died after his tractor overturned. This protester had returned from Australia to his hometown in Uttar Pradesh's Rampur to celebrate his recent wedding but fate took an unfortunate turn.

Navreet Singh's family and friends who were planning to have his wedding celebration, in a cruel turn of events, had to mourn his death soon after his arrival.

The 27-year-old agitator was crushed under the tractor he was driving after it overturned on the road when he tried to break through a police barricade at central Delhi's ITO during a farmers' tractor parade, police revealed.

News agency PTI reported that the body reached Rampur Tuesday night and a post-mortem was also conducted. Navreet's family members revealed that he had returned from Australia to throw a wedding party after he tied the knot abroad some time back.

He was in the national capital on Republic Day to participate in the farmers' protests after being persuaded by his uncles. In a video shared on social media, he can be seen driving a blue tractor at high speed.

Earlier on social media, the claim of him being shot by police had spread. However, it was clarified that he died after his tractor flipped and he was crushed under the vehicle.

"We came together to participate in the parade but never knew it would happen," a neighbour said.

Security was beefed up in Rampur district with senior police officials getting on the ground to review law and order.

"ADG Bareilly Zone Avinash Chandra along with Rampur SP Shogun Gautam visited Bilaspur area of the district to review the law and order situation. Necessary instructions were given to personnel on the ground," the police official added.

Navreet’s grieving family members, who called him a "shaheed (martyr)", said that he had gone to Australia to pursue higher education and he got married there recently. 

On Tuesday, his body was draped in Tricolour and protesters were reported to have not been allowing police to get a post-mortem done. They insisted that the mortal remains be taken to the village at the earliest.

Some farmers have denied the police version as one of them alleged that "the police fired teargas at Navreet, one of the shells hit him on the head and he lost control of the steering wheel. The police didn't even help him".

The tractor was part of a batch that arrived from the Ghazipur border which had deflected from the agreed-upon route, a senior Delhi Police officer said.

(With Agency Inputs)