Six DTC buses, five police vehicles damaged at Delhi’s ITO during farmers’ tractor rally violence: FIR

Six Delhi
Transport Corporation (DTC) buses and five police vehicles were vandalised in
the violence that broke out at ITO during the farmers’ Republic Day tractor
rally in Delhi on Tuesday, according to the First Information Report (FIR) registered in pertaining to the
incident.

The FIR also
alleged that around 10,000 protesting farmers stormed the ITO area of Delhi on
nearly 600 tractors, damaging around 70 iron barricades and leaving several
police personnel grievously injured.

“Police officials were present at Ram Charan Aggarwal Chowk of ITO at round 12 pm when around nearly 500 to 600 tractors carrying around 9,000 to
10,000 protesters entered the ITO from Sarai Kale Khan towards MGM Marg.” the Delhi police said in the FIR.

According to the
FIR, the protesters even tried to enter Luytens’ Delhi from Tilak Bridge
despite clear instructions to not hold the tractor parade in the jurisdiction
of IP Estate Police station.

“Police tried to convince the agitating farmers. However, they were adamant about going to Luytens’ area. They also damaged vehicles and equipment of media persons,” the FIR said adding that the police then had to resort to tear gas to disperse protesters from the site.

As far as the death of a farmer, reported on Tuesday during the rally, is concerned, the FIR claimed
that one of the tractors moving rashly towards DDU Marg from Ram Charan Chowk
collided with a barricade placed near Andhra Public School, and overturned.

Police also
alleged that the protesters tried to run over the police when they attempted to
rescue the victim (deceased farmer) but he was later taken by protestors out of
the area.

The deceased was
later identified as Navneet Singh, a resident of Rampur district in Uttar
Pradesh, the FIR stated.

A tractor rally was taken out on Tuesday by thousands of farmers protesting at several Delhi borders for almost two months to highlight their demands of repealing three farm laws recently enacted by the Centre but it soon plunged into chaos after protesters broke through the barriers, clashed with the police and the Red Fort to hoist religious flag on its ramparts.

According to the Delhi police, at least 22 FIRs have been registered so far and multiple CCTV footages from the affected locations in Delhi are being monitored to identify the accused.