R-Day violence: One more arrested from Punjab

Buta Singh, a 25-year-old man from Tarn Tarn in Punjab who carried a reward of ₹50,000 for his alleged involvement in the violence at the Red Fort on January 26 this year, was arrested by the Delhi police from Punjab’s Talwandi Sabo on Tuesday

Buta Singh, a 25-year-old man from Tarn Tarn in Punjab who carried a reward of ₹50,000 for his alleged involvement in the violence at the Red Fort on January 26 this year, was arrested by the Delhi police from Punjab’s Talwandi Sabo on Tuesday.

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Police said Singh was among the five people who was on the ramparts of the Red Fort and helped Jugraj Singh, a key accused in the Red fort violence who hoisted the religious flag and that of the farmers union.

Deputy commissioner of police (crime) Monika Bhardwaj confirmed Singh’s arrest. “He had come with Jugraj and other accused persons to Red Fort. Our team faced some resistance while arresting Singh from Talwandi Sabo. The local police helped us and we brought him to Delhi.”

Police are yet to arrest Jugraj, who now carries a reward of ₹1 lakh for his arrest.

Investigating officers, who asked not to be named, said when the crime branch visited Talwandi Sabo in Punjab on Tuesday after receiving a tip-off about Singh, many villagers were not letting the police to arrest him. “They formed barricades and refused to let us arrest him. Fortunately, the local police assisted us. They counselled the villagers, after which we were able to bring him to Delhi,” said an officer, who did not wish to be identified.

Unprecedented chaos unleashed on Republic Day this year as the tractor rally planned by farmers protesting against the three laws passed in September to reform the agriculture sector went off the designated course and rolled into the Red Fort. The farmers stormed into the Red Fort complex after breaking barricades and driving tractors through roadblocks, climbed its ramparts, and hoisted the Nishan Sahib, a flag of the Sikhs and that of the farmers’ union. At least 394 police personnel and 10 farmers were injured during the tractor rally

While police have alleged that the violence that unfolded on Republic Day was a well-planned conspiracy to defame the government, leaders of the farmer union lhave rejected the police’s allegations and said some protesters, mainly youngsters, got carried away and stormed into the Red Fort.