The Delhi Police on Thursday issued notice to 40 farmer leaders for violating the terms and conditions agreed upon for holding tractor rallies on Republic Day. The notices were served to Darshan Pal, Rakesh Tikat, Yogendra Yadav, Baldev Singh Sirsa, Balbir S. Rajewal and others for breaching the agreement with the Delhi Police.
They have been asked to submit their response within three days.
The Police Special Cell also registered a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and sedition in connection with violence during tractor parades, said a police officer.
In a separate FIR registered at Kotwali police station, the police named Deep Sidhu, Punjabi actor-turned-activist and another person Lakha Sidhana, a criminal on charges of sedition.
“The last location of Deep was traced in Haryana where he permanently switched off his phone. We have issued lookout notices against him and Sidhana. Several teams have been formed to arrest him,” said a police officer.
In a separate FIR registered at Samaypur Badli police station, 37 farmers' leaders has been named and charged under IPC sections of attempt to murder, rioting and others.
The officer added that protesters at Red Fort removed the national flag disrespectfully. They also have found many flags lying on the ground on Republic Day.
A senior police officer said the police has issued lookout notices against farmer leaders named in an FIR in connection with the violence during the farmers' tractor parade and invoked sedition charges in a case of the Red Fort incident. They have asked six farmers’ leaders to join the probe.
Chimoy Biswal, DCP (Headquarters) confirmed that notices have been sent to farmers leaders who attended the meeting with police for tractor rally.
The letter reads that despite agreeing to the mutually decided terms and conditions for the rally, farmer leaders acted in a very irresponsible manner on January 26. These militant elements occupied the stage and started provocative speeches right from the early hours of January 26.
According to the police, the most serious and reprehensible act was performed by the organisations and other supporters at Red Fort. The protestors climbed the ASI protected monument and vandalised the whole area and put the religious flag on the national monument. Flags of various farmers’ organisations were also recovered from the Red Fort premises. The vandalisation of the Red Fort on the Republic Day was the most deplorable and an anti-national act, the letter reads.
“It is clear that farmers’ organisations deliberately violated the terms and conditions agreed to in the meeting with the Police. This resulted in violence in large parts of Delhi, in which a large number of public and police personnel were injured and extensive damage/vandalism of public and private property were caused,” the letter reads.
The farmer unions protesting against the three farm laws has said that there was a conspiracy behind the violence, which left 394 police personnel injured and one protestor dead.
