One protester dies at ITO, 86 police personnel hurt

One farmer died and 10 farmers and 86 police personnel were injured in violence during the tractor parade taken out by the farmers protesting against the three contentious farm laws in the Capital.

Twenty-one persons — 11 police personnel and 10 protesters — were brought to Lok Nayak hospital near Delhi Gate. “Five of the police personnel had bruises, cuts, and minor blunt injuries. They were given first aid at the hospital’s emergency department and discharged. Five others are undergoing diagnostic tests such as CT scan and X-ray to check for internal injuries and are under observation at the emergency department,” said a senior doctor at the hospital.

One of the police personnel who has a head injury is “critical” and is admitted to the intensive care unit. “He suffered injuries to his hand as well. However, he does not need any life support and has been admitted to the ICU, just to ensure better observation,” the doctor said.

All 10 protesters are currently under observation at the hospital. “Most of them had minor injuries like some bleeding, swelling, or blunt injury. However, we need a complete battery of tests to ensure that there is nothing wrong before discharging them,” said the doctor.

A 25-year-old protester from Bilaspur in Uttar Pradesh died when the tractor he was driving overturned at DDU Marg, near ITO. While protesters said that the man’s tractor overturned because police had fired at the vehicle, police said that not a single shot was fired at any protest site on Tuesday.

At Ram Manohar Lohia hospital near Gol Market, 20 persons were brought in — 14 police personnel, two bystanders, and four media persons. “Fortunately, none of them have any serious injuries. Most had suffered some cuts and lacerations. Their wounds were dressed and sutured. They were prescribed medicines and discharged. Only a couple of people remain admitted at the hospital,” a senior doctor said.

Among those who remain under observation at the hospital is a police officer with a fracture and a bystander with a thumb injury that needs a minor surgery.

Seven persons were brought in at Mangolpuri’s Sanjay Gandhi Memorial hospital. Fifty eight persons injured in the tractor rally were also admitted to Sushruta Trauma Centre at Civil Lines.