From farm to fist: Violence started at Singhu, one barrier at a time | Latest News Delhi - Hindustan Times
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From farm to fist: Violence started at Singhu, one barrier at a time

Byshiv sunny, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
Jan 27, 2021 04:37 AM IST

Singhu Border has been the most prominent protest site for the farmers at Delhi’s border for the last two months.

When the tractor rally left the Singhu Border around 7.30 am on Tuesday, the farmers were breaking the terms of their understanding with the police, that the march wouldn’t begin until 12 noon.

Farmers breaking the barricades as they head towards Delhi during a tractor rally to protest against farm laws at Singhu border in New Delhi. (Amal KS/ Hindustan Times)
Farmers breaking the barricades as they head towards Delhi during a tractor rally to protest against farm laws at Singhu border in New Delhi. (Amal KS/ Hindustan Times)

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Over the next three hours, they stuck to the route they had agreed on with the police, although each tractor was packed with more people than was allowed. But once one tractor dared to remove a heavy concrete barricade, others followed suit. All terms and conditions were forgotten in a display of brute force through the 30 km route to Red Fort instead of the 63 km one they were supposed to take . They used their tractors, cranes, even bare hands to deal with barricades. When the tear gas bothered them, they simply snatched tear gas guns from policemen.


Singhu Border has been the most prominent protest site for the farmers at Delhi’s border for the last two months. It has received the most media attention and according to farm union leaders also seen the largest gathering of farmers. According to the farmers’ agreement with the police, they were to take a right turn towards Shahbad Dairy from the Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar, almost 13km from Singhu Border on the GT Karnal Road.

The farmers marched out from Singhu around 7.30 am. Tractors stayed in a single queue on one carriageway, but both the sides of the road were occupied by thousands of farmers marching on foot. “There are just so many farmers that tractors have fallen short,” said Satnam Singh, a farmer from Tarn Taran driving one of the tractors.

Police vehicles followed the tractors even as farmer volunteers ensured that tractors breaking the queue were disciplined. Tractors barely ever crossed a speed of 15 km/hr.

But when they arrived at the Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar from where they were to get off the GT Karnal Road and take a right turn as agreed, the farmers kept marching.

Police had set multiple levels of barricades at this point and put up signboards showing directions to the planned route.

When farmers said they wanted to march onto the Outer Ring Road, the police made announcements on loudspeakers to persuade them otherwise. “Dilli Police, dil ki police, dil se vinati karti hai ki... (The Delhi Police, the police of hearts, requests with all our heart to...),” an announcement said.

AK Singla, additional commissioner of traffic police even walked to the farmers who were sitting on the road in large groups, but it didn’t yield results.

But by this time, farmers in one tractor had tied chains to a heavy concrete barricade and pulled it away. The police fired a tear gas shell but it had little impact. Another farmer commandeered a large crane from somewhere and used it to rapidly remove more barricades.

The farmers who had come prepared with heavy chains and ropes had no problem taking control of police vehicles, including water cannons.

The police fired more tear gas shells. The farmers responded with stones. A Nihang Sikh riding a horse pulled out his sword and waved it at some policemen. Some farmers snatched the tear gas guns from the policemen.

Others chose to smash police vehicles and a fleet of buses parked along the route.

By 11.10 am, the farmers had breached all the barricades and set out towards the Ring Road.

Over the next two hours, they faced some more barricades hurdles near the Burari ground and in Majnu ka Tilla , but they made short work of these.

By 1.30pm, they arrived at Red Fort, their destination all along.

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