Thousands of protesters broke through barricades, attacked policemen with sticks and vandalised a police vehicle after deviating from the agreed route of a farmers' tractor rally and reaching the heart of Delhi.
In visuals emerging from ITO, one of the main intersections in Delhi near media offices and the police headquarters, policemen in riot gear appeared to be outnumbered. The policemen were seen running or hiding behind cars as farmers armed with sticks chased them.
The protesting farmers were seen vandalizing a public bus and trying to topple it. Two buses had been used to block the farmers from progressing further on the crucial road connecting to the top government offices in the capital.
#WATCH Delhi: Protesting farmers vandalise a DTC bus in ITO area of the national capital. pic.twitter.com/5yUiHQ4aZm
— ANI (@ANI) January 26, 2021
The chaos erupted early today, just before the annual Republic Day parade in Delhi. The farmers had been allowed to enter Delhi for their tractor rally around noon, but they breached barricades at various points on Delhi's borders and entered before time. Sections of farmers also deviated from the routes agreed upon when they were granted permission for the protest.
#WATCH Protesters break barricade, attack police personnel and vandalise police vehicle at ITO in central Delhi pic.twitter.com/1ARRUX6I8E
— ANI (@ANI) January 26, 2021
Despite heavy police presence at points of entry, the situation rapidly spiraled out of control as farmers knocked down barricades and crossed into Delhi on foot.
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