NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police on Friday arrested a total of 43 persons in connection with the clashes at Singhu border, including the 22-year-old farmer Ranjeet Singh for attacking Inspector Pradeep, SHO of Alipur, with a sword during clashes.
A common FIR under sections of attempt to murder, damaging public property, attacking public servants on duty and various other sections, has been registered at Alipur Police Station. “Today, at around 1.30 pm, about 200 local villagers approached the GTB Memorial, towards Singhu border.
They went to meet the leaders of the Kisan Majdoor Sangarsh Committee (KMSC) faction around the Alipur Red Light to press for the local demand that the protestors vacate the said space and open the border. They said that they have been providing all kinds of help to protesters for last two months but now their livelihood is getting affected, hence they are requested to open the border and vacate the road.
They came yesterday also with the same request,” said a Delhi Police official. “This was resisted by some farmers and pushing-pulling of the police barricades kept to secure the langar tents ensued. During this stone pelting started,” said the police.
In the incident one inspector was also injured. “The SHO was pacifying the farmers to stop stone pelting from their side, he was suddenly attacked by a sword-wielding person and sustained grievous injuries.” Besides, five other police personnel were also injured in the violence that took place.
Lending support behind the protest, farmers from Punjab and Haryana in large numbers on their tractors-trailers have started to move towards Singhu and Tikri borders to join the stir which took a violent turn on Republic Day.
“These people carrying the national flag and claiming to be local were paid agents of agencies. They came with stones and lathis and asked us (farmers) to vacate the highway. After heated exchange of words, they attacked our tents and then pelted stones on us and hit us with lathis,” said Harinder Singh Lalhowal, General Secretary of BKU (Lakhowal).