Timeline of Trouble: Vandalism and violence during Delhi’s R-Day tractor rally

It all began when protesting farmers broke their agreement with the Delhi police and started deviating from approved routes and started moving towards central Delhi.

Chaotic scenes of rampage unfolded in the national capital on a day that saw India celebrate its military might at the Republic Day parade in national capital Delhi. The blame game for this violence and vandalism unleashed during the much-hyped tractor rally of farmers will haunt India for days to come. But it all began when protesting farmers broke their agreement with the Delhi police and started deviating from approved routes and started moving towards central Delhi.

Farmers clashed with Delhi Police personnel near Akshardham. Vehicles parked on the road and DTC buses were damaged (PTI Photo)

Here’s a brief timeline of how events unfolded during the unprecedented capital clash between jawans and farmers.

7.30-9.30am:

Thousands of farmers start entering Delhi from various border points in Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur after breaking police barricades

10am to 12pm:

Farmers clashed with Delhi Police personnel near Akshardham. Vehicles parked on the road and DTC buses were damaged

Police fired tear gas shells and resorted to baton charge after farmers deviated from assigned routes for the tractor rally

12pm-2pm:

Protesting farmers from Ghazipur reached ITO, broke police barricades; Police resorted to baton charge and tear gas shells to stop their march towards Red Fort

Another group of protesters reached Red Fort; clashes between farmers and police followed at both ITO and Red Fort

Protesters hoisted the farmer union flags and the Nishhan Sahib, the flag of the Sikhs, on the first rampart of the iconic Red Fort

A farmer died after a tractor in which he was travelling turned turtle at DDU Marg. The farmers, however, claimed that he lost control after a tear gas shell hit him

Post 2.30pm:

Police tried to remove farmers from the ramparts of the Red Fort, resorted to mild baton charge

Protesters clashed with the police, used tractors and sticks to hit back

4pm onwards:

Farmer leaders distance themselves from violence and vandalism, some claim ‘anti-social’ elements hijacked peaceful protest

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha, the umbrella body of the 40 farmers' unions, later dissociated itself from farmers who indulged in violence and called off the tractor rally. The protest at Delhi’s borders will continue peacefully, the group said.