Farm bills: Protesters set tractor on fire near India Gate, five arrested

In a safety breach, a bunch of males claiming to be members of the Punjab unit of Youth Congress set a tractor on fireplace at Rajpath close to the India Gate lawns on Monday morning in assist of the farmers’ agitation towards legal guidelines enacted by the central authorities that they declare will undermine the agricultural sector.

The police arrested 5 individuals and a search is underway for others. No one was injured within the incident.

Police stated the incident befell round 7.30am when a bunch of 20-25 males arrived at Rajpath in several autos and a truck, on which the tractor was laden.

Also learn: Punjab set to maneuver SC on farm legal guidelines as stir intensifies

Witnesses and passersby advised the police that the lads pushed the tractor out of the truck and set it on fireplace because it turned over.

“According to people who were present there, the men chanted slogans likeJai Jawan, Jai Kisan and Bhagat Singh Amar Rahein in support of the farmers’ agitation and were also carrying effigies, which they hung onto the street light poles. They then went live on social media and clicked group pictures with the burning tractor,” stated a police officer.

Soon after, a police patrol car arrived on the scene. “Seeing the police, the men who had set the tractor on fire fled. Backup was called and other police vehicles in the area were alerted. Later, the fire was doused and five of the men arrested. The charred remains of the tractor was removed from the road,” stated the police officer.

A video of the group setting the tractor on fireplace was extensively circulated on social media. Some policemen who had reached the spot have been additionally seen standing close to the tractor that was on fireplace.

Police stated all arrested males are from Punjab. They have been recognized as Manjot Singh, 36, Sahib, 28, and Sumit Pal, 28, from Mohali, Raman Deep Singh Sindhu, 28, from Mansa and Rahul Kumar, 28, from Ludhiana.

“We had pooled in money to get the tractor. This was a symbolic protest to send a loud and clear message to the government at the Centre that they should talk to farmers,” stated Brinder Singh Dhillon, president of the Punjab Youth Congress. “They (Centre) have not just trampled upon the federal structure, but these three legislations will also destroy the farmers of my state,” he added

Deputy commissioner of police (New Delhi) Eish Singhal stated his males had reached the spot in time and the fireplace was contained earlier than the tractor was utterly gutted.