Thousands of protesting farmers who today blocked several arterial roads as they entered the national capital on their tractors to press for their demand for repealing the three central agriculture laws, have started to return to the protest sites at Delhi borders. The traffic on several of these roads -- that had become battlegrounds between the police and protesters -- is running smoothly, police informed on Twitter.
Traffic movement is now normal from Mukarba Chowk to Singhu border, the Delhi Police tweeted. The police today lathi-charged protesters at Mukarba Chowk to disperse them.
Singhu border is the epicentre of the farmers' protest.
Traffic is also moving normally from Shastri Park to ISBT, Loni Border, Chintamani Chowk, Barapulah and DND (Delhi-Noida-Delhi Expressway).
Hours ago, the traffic police had asked commuters to avoid Peeragarhi Chowk and Punjabi Bagh Chowk because of the protests. The traffic is normal there now, police said in an update.
"Traffic movement is now normal from NH-24 towards Ghaziabad and NH-9 towards Ghaziabad. Traffic movement is also normal on Vikas Marg, Delhi Gate and ISBT, Anand Vihar, towards UP," the police tweeted.
Farmer unions that have been leading the protests against the laws had announced a tractor rally on the Republic Day. The rally was to start at 11.30 AM after the parade but thousands of farmers started congregating at Delhi borders from 8 AM. They later barged into the national capital, breaking through barriers erected by the police to stall them.
They also clashed with the police at Central Delhi's ITO, where a farmer died after his tractor overturned.
By noon, scores of tractors had reached the Red Fort area. The protesters then entered the iconic monument. A protester was also seen scaling a flagpole to hoist a religious flag. The police had to lathi-charge the farmers to clear the area.
Over 80 police personnel have been injured in the clashes.
The farmers' front that organised the rally has distanced itself from the chaos.
"We thank farmers for the unprecedented participation in today's Farmers Republic Day Parade. We also condemn and regret the undesirable and unacceptable events that have taken place today and dissociate ourselves from those indulging in such acts," it said in a statement.
