Police fired tear gas and resorted to baton charge Friday to break up a clash between farmers and a large group of men claiming to be local residents who hurled stones at the Singhu border, one of the main protest sites against the contentious farm laws.
Delhi Police SHO (Alipur) Pradeep Paliwal was injured in the violence after a man attacked him with a sword, an official said, adding that some people were also wounded. The official said that police detained the man who attacked the station house officer.
The group, that claiming to be locals, demanded that the farmers vacate the Singhu border, alleging that they had "insulted" the national flag during their tractor parade on Republic Day.
Armed with sticks, the group of locals reached the site and asked the farmers to leave while raising slogans against them. Both sides also pelted stones at each other. The protesters at the Singhu border, much of which is barred for entry from outside, came out in numbers to resist the locals.
Journalist Saahil Menghani reported that “goons” had pelted stones and sticks at farmers and had come with flags. He also said that the police had fired 30 tear gas shells.
Goond came with flags. They took off the flag and threw sticks at farmers.
— Saahil Murli Menghani (@saahilmenghani) January 29, 2021
Tirange ki aad mein, desh ke asli dushman maidan mein.
Close to 30 tear gas shells fired by Police.
— Saahil Murli Menghani (@saahilmenghani) January 29, 2021
Police say situation has been brought under control.
Though it continues to remain tense.
However, the group was promptly stopped by farmer union volunteers which helped the situation from turning ugly.
"They are not locals, but hired goons. They were throwing stones, petrol bombs at us. They attempted to burn down our trolleys also. We are here to resist them. We won't leave the place," said Harkirat Mann Beniwal, 21, from Punjab's Khana district.
The truth will eventually break free from the web of lies. Even @aajtak shows the truth by mistake — Delhi police standing by as paid Sanghi goons attack protesting farmers.
— Varun Santhosh (@santvarun) January 29, 2021
pic.twitter.com/mnSrT8ytBU
Thousands of protesting farmers had clashed with the police during the tractor rally called by farmer unions on January 26 to highlight their demand for repeal of the Centre's three farm laws. Many of the protesters, driving tractors, reached the Red Fort and entered the monument. Some protesters even hoisted religious flags on its domes and the flagstaff at the ramparts, where the national flag is unfurled by the prime minister on Independence Day.
PTI inputs