R-Day violence: RTI reveals 370 cops, 7 farmers received injuries

By Mohammad Suaib Khan

New Delhi: At least 370 policemen were injured, some of them seriously, during the violence by farmers that took place on Republic Day this year. This was revealed in an RTI reply to Vivek Pandey, an activist.

Farmers had staged massive protests against the three farm laws in Delhi on Republic Day when they broke through police barricades on their tractors.

Vivek Pandey had asked five questions in the RTI -- How many vehicles were burnt during the violence? What was the total loss of property and the amount of the loss? How many policemen were injured in clash between farmers and the police? And finally, how many farmers were injured in the clash?

As per the reply given in the RTI, around 370 police personnel were injured in the clash between the farmers and the police.

Although all the policemen were admitted to hospitals in Delhi and treated, some police personnel sustained serious injuries.

After the clash on Republic Day, several videos went viral on social media, in which policemen were seen saving their lives by jumping into the ditch below the rear walls of the Red Fort.

The RTI mentions that maximum damage was done to the barricades and as many as 200 of them were damaged and each barricade costs around Rs 17,000.

Besides, damage was also caused to government and private vehicles due to vandalism by farmers. Over 20 government vehicles were damaged, including Delhi Police's Vajra vehicle and other police vehicles. At the same time, one DTC bus and 7 private trucks also suffered damage.

The RTI reveals that during the violence on January 26, the magazine of an INSAS rifle with 20 live rounds also went missing.

Apart from this, other items which were damaged during the vandalism include PVC cane shield, batons, helmet, bullet proof jacket, body protector, RCC barricade etc.

For over eight months, thousands of farmers from UP, Punjab and Haryana have been camping on the borders of the national capital to demand that the Centre repeal the three farm laws. They fear the legislation will undermine existing agricultural markets and leave them at the mercy of private corporations.

On January 26, the farmers planned to take out a tractor rally in which hundreds of farmers participated. Forty farmer organizations were to take out a tractor march on the route fixed by the Delhi Police but the situation changed after the march began.

Some youths broke the barricade and entered Delhi and a group of them also hoisted a religious flag at the Red Fort.

The RTI says seven farmers were also injured in the clash in Outer Delhi District and one farmer died during the tractor rally at ITO.

On the death of a person near ITO intersection, initially the family members said that he died of a bullet injury. But the police say that the youth had a head injury due to overturning of the tractor.

After the violence, the Delhi Police also registered dozens of cases under various sections, which are currently being investigated.