Who was Deep Sidhu, the actor accused in the Jan 26 Red Fort violence?

Punjabi actor-turned-activist Deep Sidhu, who was named as one of the prime accused in the violence at the Red Fort complex in Delhi on Republic Day during a farmers’ tractor rally, died on Tuesday, February 15, 2022, in a road accident.

Sidhu was arrested by Delhi Police in February 2021 in connection with the violence. Sidhu, according to the police, instigated the protesters, who defied the agreed routes and schedules for the rally and forced their way into the Red Fort and hoisted a religious flag at the iconic fort.

Sidhu, who was present during the incident, defended the act, saying that they had put up the ‘Nishan Sahib’ as a symbolic protest.

Also Read | Deep Sidhu threatens to expose farmer leaders after being blamed for R-day violence

The Republic Day tractor march on January 26 did not go as planned. The tractors deviated from the pre-decided path and chaos followed with violent clashes in different parts of the national capital. 

Actor Deep Sidhu has been accused of instigating the protestors to climb on top of the Red Fort. He defended the hoisting of ‘Nishan Sahib’, the religious flag of the Sikhs on the Red Fort during a Facebook live on Tuesday.

“To symbolically register our protest against the new farm legislations, we put up ‘Nishan Sahib’ and a farmer flag and also raised a slogan of Kisan Mazdoor Ekta,” Sidhu said.

Also Read: Republic Day horror is bad optics but government, BJP is relieved it wasn’t another Jallianwala Bagh

Deep Sidhu is a Punjabi actor and social worker who made his debut with movie Ramta Jogi. He became a star with his 2018 film “Jora Das Numbria”. Born in 1984, Sidhu was once an aide of Sunny Deol. He was with him during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and campaigned extensively for him.

After Tuesday’s incidents, Deol broke all ties with him.

“My heart is very sad to see what happened at the Red Fort today, I have clarified this through Twitter on December 6 that my family and I have no connection with Deep Sidhu. Jai Hind,” he tweeted.