Red Fort siege, clashes, tear gas: A peaceful tractor rally takes chaotic turn

In an enexpected turn of events, India witnessed a unique set of parades on Republic Day. As the events at Rajpath culminated, the country was taken aback with an unprecedented seige by farmers at the Red Fort and clashes between police and farmers at the national capital.Wielding sticks and clubs and holding the tricolour and union flags, tens of thousands of farmers atop tractors broke barriers, clashed with police and entered the city from various points to lay siege to the Red Fort and climb the flagpole on Republic Day on Tuesday.(Story: PTI/ DHNS)

A tractor parade by the farmer unions meant to highlight their demands dissolved into anarchy on the streets of the national capital during the day as hordes of rampaging protesters broke through barriers, fought with police, overturned vehicles and hoisted a religious flag from the rampart of Red Fort, a privilege reserved for India's tricolour. Credit: Reuters

The farmers began their Kisan Ganatantra Parade at around 8:00 a.m, hours before the agreed time of 12:00 noon and changing routes to enter Central Delhi, taking police by surprise. Credit: Reuters

The saffron flag hoisted by protesters from the staff at the iconic Red Fort during their tractor parade against the farm laws on Tuesday was the 'Nishan Sahib', a symbol of Sikh religion seen at all Gurdwara complexes. The 'Nishan Sahib' is a triangular flag that is sacred to Sikhs. The emblem on the flag comprises of 'Khanda', a two-edged sword, Chakra, a disc, and two Kirpans that cross each other at the handles. The other flag appeared to be of a farmer union. Credit: PTI

Thousands of agitating farmers riding on tractors and marching on foot into the national capital hours before, breaking police barriers and clashing with security forces who resorted to firing tear gas shells. Credit: Reuters

The Delhi Police had permitted the farmers protesting the three farm laws to hold their tractor parade on selected routes only after the official Republic Day parade on the Rajpath concludes. However, farmers deviated from the designated route for the proposed tractor parade against the new farm laws and moved toward ITO in central Delhi. Credit: AFP

Clashes broke out between police and protesting farmers after the latter reached ITO and tried to push towards Lutyen's Delhi, prompting the force to use lathi-charge and tear gas shells against them. Credit: AFP

In a statement, the police also claimed the force did all due diligence in following the conditions for the rally, but the protesters began their march much ahead of the scheduled time and extensive damage to public property was caused. Credit: AFP

The farmers began their march from different border points much before the time permitted to them for their tractor rally. Credit: PTI

If police used teargas shells to disperse the restive crowds in some places, hundreds of farmers in ITO were seen chasing them with sticks and ramming their tractors into parked buses. A protester died after his tractor overturned. Credit: AFP

ITO resembled a war zone with a car being vandalised by angry protesters and shells, bricks and stones littering the wide streets, testimony to the fact that the farmer movement that had been peaceful for two months was no longer so. Credit: PTI

the Home Ministry decided to temporarily suspend the internet in parts of Delhi like Singhu, Ghazipur, Tikri, Mukarba Chowk and Nangloi and their adjoining areas for 12 hours from Tuesday noon. Credit: AFP

Wielding sticks and clubs and holding the tricolour and union flags, tens of thousands of farmers atop tractors broke barriers, clashed with police and entered the city from various points to lay siege to the Red Fort and climb the flagpole there on Republic Day. Credit: AFP

At Nangloi Chowk in west Delhi and at Mukarba Chowk farmers broke cemented barricades and police used tear gas to disperse them. The protesting farmers also reached Delhi's ITO area, a few kilometres away from Parliament. Credit: AFP

“We will be moving towards India Gate. Of what use are rules when they are created to trouble us,” Chaudhary Baldev Singh, a farmer from Baghpat in western Uttar Pradesh, told DH as he walked along with hoards of farmers.Credit: AFP/ Representative

Security forces were far outnumbered and reduced to bystanders as tractors continued to roll into the capital from various border points. Credit: PTI

On Monday, the Delhi Police had spelt out 37 conditions for the Kisan Parade that was to set out from four border points – Singhu, Tikri, Ghazipur and Chilla, the latter two being the border points between Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. Credit: Reuters

Police lathi charged farmers at Chintamani Chowk in Shahdara when they broke barricades and smashed window panes of cars. A group of 'Nihangs' (traditional Sikh warriors) clashed with security personnel near Akshardham Temple. Credit: PTI

Farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at several Delhi border points, including Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur, since November 28, demanding a complete repeal of three farm laws and a legal guarantee on minimum support price for their crops. Credit: Reuters