Clashes at Singhu border; Delhi police fire teargas shells, lathi-charge, cop injured
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Delhi Police fired tear gas shells and also resorted to lathi-charge on Friday after the Delhi-Haryana border in Singhu witnessed clashes between the agitating farmers and several number of goons armed with metal rods, sticks and stones, who wanted the area to be cleared immediately. The goons were also heard chanting Jai Sriram slogans.
The goons, not more than 200, threw stones and vandalised tents erected by farmers at the Delhi-Haryana border in Singhu, the epicenter of farmers' protests for over two months, reported NDTV. According to the report, a police official was injured in the violence.
The sudden violence at the protest site Friday afternoon, which has been tense since the Republic Day violence, prompted the police to use tear gas shells and farmers to appeal for calm.
Goons asked them to clear the spot alleging that their presence was creating trouble. After heated argument, the locals started attacking the tents of the farmers. Following this there was stone pelting between both the groups.
In a video streamed by Aaj Tak, which is tweeted by AltNews co-founder Mohammed Zubair, the security personnel in riot gears are seen standing in large numbers as mute spectators all the while the goons pelted stones against the farmers.
पुलिस कहा है। पुलिस कहा है अनीषा।
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) January 29, 2021
पुलिस वाले सीधे खड़े खड़े उनकी शक्ल देख रही है। पुलिस यही है। पुलिस हमारे पीछे खड़ी है। पुलिस हर जगह है लेकिन इन लोगों को कहीं नहीं रोक रही। Anti-Riot पुलिस शान्ति से खड़ी तमाशा देख रही है
Lovely reporting @AneeshaMathur pic.twitter.com/fOZEfLCAEc
The Delhi Police and the security personnel deployed at the Singhu border had to resort to firing tear gas shells to disperse the crowd at the protest site.
The people who entered the protest site also tried to vandalise other infrastructure such as washing machines.
Meanwhile, at the Ghazipur border in east Delhi, Rakesh Tikait's Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) has called a "Mahapanchayat" or meeting, amid a huge backlash over Tuesday's violence during their tractor rally.
The farmers have started arriving at the ground for the panchayat meeting. Farmers from different villages of Sardhana, Jani, Sarurpur police station areas are preparing to reach Ghazipur border on tractors
At the same time, major routes are being closely monitored. Police has been deployed at different places on the Ganga Canal Marg with instructions to videograph the farmers and monitor them.
It is believed that Bharatiya Kisan Union President Naresh Tikait would make a major announcement. A large number of women are also expected to be present in the mahapanchayat. Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) National General Secretary Jayant Chaudhary's arrival is also expected.
At the same time, BKU chief Rakesh Tikait is also adamant to continue the farmers stir. Tikait said that if anything happens at night at the Ghazipur border, the administration and the Central government would be held responsible for it. If any farmer is arrested without proper investigation, the situation could worsen. He said the farmers would not break the laws, but the government is forcing them to do so.