Tractor rally: Farmers reach Red Fort, ITO intersection

Delhi Police officers said the farmers had violated the terms of agreement on which the farmers were allowed to hold their rally today

By around 1 pm on Tuesday, farmers in tractors had reached the road outside the Red Fort where the tableaux from the Republic Day celebrations were kept. Delhi Police officers said the farmers had violated the terms of agreement on which they were allowed to hold their rally today. There was heavy security outside the Red Fort to stop farmers from entering the fort.

Protesting farmers at Red Fort, New Delhi, on Tuesday, January 26. (HT photo)

Meanwhile, ITO in central Delhi resembled a war zone in the afternoon after police fired multiple rounds of tear gas shells while farmers clashed with them. While the police cane-charged the protesting farmers in their attempt to stop them from going towards India Gate and Red Fort, the farmers pelted stones, broke barricades and damaged police vehicles.

The standoff between police and farmers happened right in the middle of the ITO intersection. The farmers used their tractors to remove the railings from the dividers on Vikas Marg in ITO. Some of the groups of farmers had managed to escape police barricades and reach Red Fort.

Delhi Police officers said they were appealing to farmers at all places to not resort to violence.