The Delhi Police on Thursday issued 44 lookout notices to protesters and farmer leaders named in an First Information Report (FIR) in connection with the violence during the farmers’ tractor parade on Republic Day.
Police also asked union leaders to surrender their passports and also invoked sedition charges in a case of the Red Fort incident as the force intensified its investigation. Police has registered 33 FIRs out of which nine FIRs filed at Samaypur Badli police station, Kotwali police station which is near Red Fort, I P Estate police station at ITO, Pandav Nagar, Nangloi and Najafgarh police stations, have been transferred to Crime Branch.
The Special Cell of Delhi Police has also summoned six farmer leaders and has asked them to join the police investigation at their office.
Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the violence on Republic Day was unfortunate but it would not end the farmers’ movement against the three agri laws. He also said strictest punishment must be given to those responsible for the violence.
Earlier in the day, Union Home Minister Amit Shah along with Home Secretary, Ajay Kumar Bhalla and Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava visited Sushruta Trauma Centre and Tirath Ram Shah Hospital to enquire about the health of policemen injured in the violence during the farmers’ tractor parade on Republic Day.
Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal on Thursday visited the hospital and enquired about the health injured policemen.
A group of people claiming to be locals at Delhi’s Singhu border also staged a protest at the Singhu border, demanding that the area be vacated following the Republic Day violence in the city.
Police have also formed several teams to locate all the culprits. Police in its notices also asked the farmer leaders to submit their response within three days, explaining why legal action should not be taken against them as they did not follow conditions set for the parade. The lookout notices also include names of farmers leaders such as Yogendra Yadav, Darshan Pal, Rakesh Tikait and Balbir Singh Rajewa.
Eish Singhal, the Public Relation Officer (PRO) of Delhi Police, said a preliminary assessment suggests there was pre-conceived and well-co-ordinated plan to break the agreement reached between Delhi Police and leaders of farmers’ organisations.
“The Special Cell is investigating larger conspiracy and criminal designs behind the unfortunate events. A criminal case has been registered and is being investigated under provisions of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and sections of IPC dealing with sedition. Role and conduct of organisations and individuals based in India, as well as those out of country, is being probed,” said Singhal.
Police have earlier named 37 farmer leaders, including Rakesh Tikait, Yogendra Yadav and Medha Patkar, in the FIR registered at Samaypur Badli police station that mentioned charges of attempt to murder, rioting and criminal conspiracy.
Other farmer leaders who have been listed in the FIR are Darshan Pal, Gurnam Singh Chanduni, Kulwant Singh Sandhu, Satnam Singh Pannu, Joginder Singh Ugraha, Surjeet Singh Phool, Jagjeet Singh Dalewal, Balbir Singh Rajewal and Harinder Singh Lakhoval. The Crime Branch is now investigating this FIR.
The Delhi Police has registered a sedition case in connection with the violence at Red Fort during a tractor parade by farmers on Republic Day, officials said on Thursday.
According to a senior police officer, a case under section 124A (sedition) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered and the incident is being investigated.
Earlier, Delhi Police had named actor Deep Sidhu and gangster-turned-social activist Lakha Sidhana in an FIR lodged in connection with the Red Fort incident.
At the Singhu border point, a “sadbhawana march” was taken out by protesting farmer unions. In a written message to Delhi Police personnel on Thursday, Shrivastava said coming days can be more challenging and they will have to be alert.
“You have showed great patience despite the farmers’ agitation turning violent...394 of our friends have been injured in the violence during the farmers’ agitation,” he said in his message.
Meanwhile, Delhi border points remained under heavy police deployment on Thursday in the aftermath of the violence. Security personnel have also been deployed at the Red Fort.
Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at several border points, demanding a complete repeal of the three farm laws.
The farmer unions protesting against the three farm laws alleged that there was a conspiracy behind the violence, which left 394 police personnel injured and one protestor dead.