“19 Arrested, 25 Cases Filed”: Delhi Police On Tractor Rally Clashes

New Delhi, January 27, 2021: Nineteen people have been arrested and more than 25 cases registered over the violence during Republic Day’s tractor rally, the Delhi Police said today, adding that they are investigating the farmer groups’ leaders in connection with the violence. The farmer groups have alleged a huge conspiracy behind yesterday’s events, in which a farmer died. The conspiracy, the farmers said, is to sabotage the movement aimed at repealing the three farm laws passed by parliament in September.

Around 400 police personnel were injured in the daylong clashes, which started as the farmers broke barricades and tried to enter Delhi way ahead of time and deviated from the planned route which had been cleared for the rally.

“Farmers at Singhu broke the barricades at 6.30 am itself. They didn’t stick to the designated route,” the Delhi Police said at a press meet today.

“Similar defiance was seen at Tikri and Ghazipur borders,” an officer said. “Butta Singh along with his team indulged in violence at Nangloi junction (near Tikri border). Farmers with Rakesh Tikait indulged in violence at Ghazipur and reached Red Fort,” he added.

Pointing out that 394 police personnel were injured in the dayling violence, the officer said, “The police had got all the options but exercised restraint despite all the options. We didn’t want any loss of life”.

The police have detained 200 people in connection with the violence which took place mostly in and around Mukarba Chowk, Ghazipur, ITO, Seemapuri, Nangloi T-Point, Tikri Border and the Red Fort. Baricades were broken at Ghazipur, Tikri and Singhu borders, the police said.

“We have the videos of the violence. We are using facial recognition tools to identify them. All those (responsible) will be arrested… No culprit will be spared. No one will be spared. Even the unions will be investigated,” he said.