JANUARY 26, 2021
A man holds a flag as he stands on the top of the historic Red Fort during a protest against farm laws introduced by the government, in Delhi, India, January 26, 2021. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi
Chaotic scenes of rampage unfolded in the national capital on a day that saw India celebrate its military might at the Republic Day parade in national capital Delhi. The blame game for this violence and vandalism unleashed during the much-hyped tractor rally of farmers will haunt India for days to come. But it all began when protesting farmers broke their agreement with the Delhi police and started deviating from approved routes and started moving towards central Delhi.
Here’s a brief timeline of how events unfolded during the unprecedented capital clash between jawans and farmers.
7.30-9.30am:
Thousands of farmers start entering Delhi from various border points in Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur after breaking police barricades
10am to 12pm:
Farmers clashed with Delhi Police near Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar after being stopped from deviating from the Singhu rally route. Police fired tear gas shells to disperse protesters
Farmers clashed with Delhi Police personnel near Akshardham. Vehicles parked on the road and DTC buses were damaged
Police fired tear gas shells and resorted to baton charge after farmers deviated from assigned routes for the tractor rally
12pm-2pm:
Protesting farmers from Gazipur reached ITO, broke police barricades; Police resorted to baton charge and tear gas shells to stop their march towards Red Fort
Another group of protesters reached Red Fort; clashes between farmers and police followed at both ITO and Red Fort
Protesters hoisted the farmer union flags and the Nishhan Sahib, the flag of the Sikhs, on the first rampart of the iconic Red Fort
A farmer died after a tractor in which he was traveling turned turtle at DDU Marg. The farmers, however, claimed that he lost control after a tear gas shell hit him
Post 2.30pm:
Police tried to remove farmers from the ramparts of the Red Fort, resorted to mild baton charge
Protesters clashed with the police, used tractors and sticks to hit back
4pm onwards:
Farmer leaders distance themselves from violence and vandalism, some claim ‘anti-social’ elements hijacked peaceful protest
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha, the umbrella body of the 40 farmers’ unions, later dissociated itself from farmers who indulged in violence and called off the tractor rally. The protest at Delhi’s borders will continue peacefully, the group said.
Courtesy/Source: Hindustan Times
