In an unprecedented turn of events, protesting farmers broke through police barricades on their tractors to hoist their own flag Nishan Sahib at Red Fort today. Across Delhi, police resorted to lathicharge and teargassing as farmers tried to break away from the designated rally routes and pelted stones at security personnel.
Sporadic clashes erupted at Singhu border in the morning, followed by widespread violence in the Capital throughout the day. Buses and police vehicles were vandalised. And as cops barricaded more and more roads, hapless commuters were seen stranded in serpentine queues of vehicles across all major roads. Here’s how the events of the day unfolded.
8:30 am First clashes at Singhu border. Protesting farmers pull down barricades and try to push in. Police manage to control the situation. Protesters get restless at Ghazipur and Tikri borders as well.
8:45 am Protesting farmers break through police barricades at the Delhi-Haryana Tikri border, start rally.
9:30 am Tractor rally from Singhu border reaches Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar.
10:15 am Chaos at Ghazipur border as protesting farmers make way for tractors for the rally. Farmers break barricades, police fire tear gas shells.
11:00 am Police fire tear gas shells at protesters after scuffle at Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar. The scuffle started after a section of farmers took over a police water cannon vehicle.
11:30 am Protesters push through barricades on Delhi-Meerut Expressway at Pandav Nagar in Delhi. Clashes erupt in North Delhi’s Mukarba Chowk as police fire tear gas on farmers trying to change the route and break barricades. At Karnal bypass, protesters start breaking through barricades.
Windows of at least seven buses and police vehicles broken across Delhi; attacks on policemen also reported. A tear gas gun was also reportedly snatched.
11.45 am Police start opening barricades according to the route plan of tractor rallies. Barricades opened at all three sites Ghazipur, Singhu and Tikri at the same time.
12:15 pm: Protesters from Ghazipur drive tractors to Akshardham. The planned route was to take a U-turn. Instead, they turn right and reach ITO, crossing the Yamuna Bridge and breaking barricades opposite Delhi Police headquarters.
12:20 pm Clashes break out in Noida, some protesters brandish swords.
12:50 pm Delhi Police resort to lathicharge at Chintamani Chowk in Shahdara near Ghazipur border as farmers on tractors push through barricades. Cops block protesters at Nangloi.
1:00 pm At ITO, farmers vandalise buses, clash with police and insist on going to Red Fort. Tractors also try to run over policemen. Police lathicharge and tear-gas protesters and initially refuse to let them go. One protester dies after his tractor overturns. Others say he was shot at.
2:00 pm After an hour-long standoff, protesters drive through ITO and reach Red Fort. Protesters from Singhu border drive through Outer Ring Road (Nangloi and Tis Hazari) to reach Red Fort. Protesters enter Red Fort and wave Sikh flag, Nishan Sahib, from the ramparts.
Farmers’ unions have been camping outside Delhi for two months now, demanding the repeal of three new farm laws. Several rounds of negotiations with the government have remained inconclusive.
And on Republic Day, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, the umbrella body of agitating farmers’ unions, sought to distance itself from the violence, claiming that anti-social elements had infiltrated the peaceful march.
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