The Delhi Police have filed 22 cases in connection with the violence during the Republic Day tractor rally taken out by farmers protesting the three contentious farm laws.

The Delhi Police have registered FIRs under sections of rioting, causing damage to public property and assault on police personnel.

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The police have also said that more than 300 policemen were injured in the violence that erupted at Mukarba Chowk, Gazipur, ITO, Seemapuri, Nangloi T-Point, Tikri Border and the Red Fort.

The police said, “At ITO, a large group of farmers, who had come from Gazipur and Singhu borders, attempted to move towards New Delhi district. When they were stopped by the policemen, a section of farmers became violent and broke through the barricades, damaged iron grills and road dividers and even tried to run over policemen deployed at barricades with their tractors.”

In the clashes, eight buses and 17 private vehicles were vandalised, the police said.

The Delhi Police on Sunday had given the farmers the permission for tractor rally on Republic Day after the completion of the Republic Day parade and celebrations. However, around 8.30 am, some 6,000 to 7,000 tractors had assembled at the Singhu borders and instead of the agreed route, the farmers insisted upon going to Central Delhi, the police said.

The police statement said, “Despite persuasion by Delhi Police, the farmers led by Nihangs on their horses fully equipped with deadly weapons like swords, kirpans and farsas charged the police and broke the several layers of barricades, which were erected between Mukarba Chowk and Transport Nagar.”

The police statement further said that at ITO, where the police headquarters is located, a group of farmers attempted to move towards the New Delhi district and when they were stopped, violence broke out.

The police said that the farmers ‘became violent’ and damaged the barricades. The farmers then decided to move towards the Red Fort and waved farmer union flags from its ramparts.

The Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, the group of 40 farmer union representatives had said that ‘anti-social elements had infiltrated the otherwise peaceful movement.’

The statement by the group said, “The long struggle for more than 6 months now, and more than 60 days of protest at Delhi borders also seemed to have led to this situation.”

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