Violent protesters may be booked as farmers clash with Delhi Police on R-Day

A visual from Delhi tractor rally | Credit: Diwakar Sharma

Sources in Delhi police have told mid-day that the violent protestors will be identified and cases may be registered against them under relevant sections of IPC as the Republic Day tractor rally ended up in clashes between the protesters and the Delhi Police.

The tractor rally of farmers protesting against the government's decision to deregulate agricultural markets turned violent on Republic Day as a group of protesting farmers breached the police barricades and entered historic Red Fort.

The clamberers were heard shouting anti-government slogans while scaling the walls and domes of Red Fort.

The chaos lasted for nearly 90 minutes before the law enforcement agencies used massive force to remove the protestors. A few police personnel are believed to have suffered bruises during the ruckus with the protesting farmers.

The farmers, who have been agitating on the outskirts Delhi since two months seeking the laws to be repealed, chose Republic Day to carry out their massive rally on tractors to underscore their demand.

After much hue and cry, police agreed to give permission to take out their tractor rally but they had been asked to follow the specific routes at border areas including Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur but they veered from the agreed plan to create the ruckus on Republic Day. A large number of people were seen welcoming the tractor rally when they entered Delhi.

Several Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses were damaged. Most of the protestors including women, children and elderly people joined the tractor rally with zeal and enthusiasm.

A few group of nihang, the warrior group of Sikh community, also carry out their protest riding on horses' back near Mukarba chowk in Delhi.

At various locations police had to resort to lathicharge as well as fire tear gas shells to disperse the protestors. At border areas, the police had also kept water cannons.

Additional forces including para-military forces have been deployed in and around national capital. The farmers are planning to carry out foot march on Budget Day ie February 1.

Entry and exit gates at Delhi Metro have been shut till further order.

Taking stock of the situation the Ministry of Home Affairs has taken a decision to suspend the internet facility. All the hotels in national capital have been asked to disconnect wifi connections so that the pieces of information cannot be disseminated on social media.