Farmers' protest: Clashes break out at Singhu border; lathi charge, tear gas used
Hundreds of villagers living in the vicinity of Singhu border on Friday demanded that farmers vacate the protest site as they insulted the Tricolour during their tractor parade on Republic Day. Farmers mostly from Punjab and Haryana are sitting here for more than two months against the new farm laws. They have blocked all the roads, causing hardship to the locals.
Visuals show that the general public raised slogans "Singh border khali karo (vacate Singh border)". Farmers who are sitting here even clashed with the locals and pelted stone on them. Armed with lathis, the protesters attacked the locals, triggering a clash between both the sides.
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Police officials present on the site had to intervene and used tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. But cops had a tough time in bringing the situation under control. According to initial reports, several cops were injured in the brawl.
Meanwhile, SHO Alipur Pradeep Paliwal was injured during clash. Visuals show that he was attacked by one of the protesters with a sword. Paliwal was rescued by other cops and rushed to hospital. Police said the man who attacked the SHO is now in the custody.
Locals said that the protesting farmers have insulted the Tricolor on Republic Day and its more than two months now that they are on streets and blocked all roads. They said that farmers must vacate as their businesses have been affected too.
Earlier on Tuesday, thousands of protesting farmers clashed with the police during the tractor parade in Delhi. Many of them, driving tractors, reached the Red Fort and entered the monument. They hoisted flags on the domes and placed the flagstaff at the ramparts of the national monument, where the national flag is unfurled by the prime minister on Independence Day.
