Concerns that the tractor parade could get off course were voiced during a series of meetings held at the Home Office (MHA) in recent days, sources told The Indian Express. However, despite reservations from the Delhi police, a political call was taken to allow the demonstration rather than allow farmers to take a “more confrontational” position.
On Tuesday, when a section of protesters stormed the Red Fort, Interior Minister Amit Shah met with senior officials from the MHA, Delhi police and the Intelligence Bureau (IB) at his residence. At the meeting, which began around 4.30pm and continued for an hour and a half, Shah reviewed the security arrangements and discussed the next course of action to ease the tension.
The decision was made to deploy additional forces of paramilitary units and suspend the Internet in some areas of the National Capital Region, including Singhu, Ghazipur, Tikri, Mukarba Chowk and Nangloi. The sources said that five additional CRPF companies were ordered to assist the Delhi Police. This was in addition to the 115 companies already at the disposal of the Delhi Police for law enforcement duties. Fifteen of these companies were forced to work on Monday.
But, sources said, the security forces were overwhelmed by the large numbers and aggression of the protesters. “There were cumulatively around 1 lakh of protesters and hundreds of tractors. The forces were overwhelmed, but showed restraint and did not fire. They had been told not to do it, ”said an official.
“Standard procedure would have been to deactivate the tractor tires, but their number was too high and they were moving,” an official said.
The sources said intelligence agencies expressed apprehensions over public order issues if tractors were allowed into the city on Republic Day. Even after the farmers’ unions agreed to stick to their designated routes, inputs suggested that they would try to break through the barricades and enter the city.
“That is why the Delhi police had previously denied permission for a tractor rally. However, the government was of the opinion that not allowing farmers to hold the demonstration would only make them more “confrontational and aggressive” as they were expected to go ahead with the demonstration, with or without permission. Then a middle ground was negotiated, where farmers could hold their tractor rally without entering the heart of the city on Republic Day, ”said an Interior Ministry official.
He said it was also anticipated that a portion of the protesters would try to make their way into the city. “It was for this reason that strong barricades were made in Tikri, Singhu, Nangloi, Ghazipur and other places. In addition to the iron barricades, cement barricades were used. There were sections where trailers were parked horizontally. In Ghazipur, a container loaded with sand was used to block the road. But nothing could stop the farmers. People overturned the trailer, the cement barricades were knocked down and pushed, the sand container was towed by tractors, ”said the official.
Until noon on Tuesday, when farmers had already broken through the barricades at the borders, the Delhi Police continued to receive information about the possibility of protesters marching towards Rajpath and the Red Fort. At 12:30 p.m. M., A message sent by the Delhi Police Special Branch to all DCPs and senior officers read: “Comments have been received that farmers arrived with tractors at Rajpath, India Gate, Red Fort, Ramlila Ground, Rashtrapati Bhawan , PM residence, HM residence, Parliament House, CM House and LG House cannot be ruled out … It is suggested that adequate and prompt arrangements can be deployed by local police, including female staff, PCR and traffic ”.
By then, senior officials said, things had already gotten out of control and many protesters had crossed border areas to spill onto roads that were not part of the designated route for protests. According to senior officials, the police presence on these routes was low due to the deployment of various staff members for the Republic Day arrangements and along the three designated routes.
According to senior officials, intelligence agencies had also shared information with the Delhi Police on Monday night that some anti-social elements might try to disturb the peace by taking undesignated routes. However, once the protesters crossed the border points in Singhu and Ghazipur, most of them ran freely until they reached the Red Fort and ITO, where the former police headquarters are located.
Senior Delhi police officers said that several rounds of talks with agricultural leaders about the designated routes had led them to believe that the final agreement would be honored. However, they admitted that trying to control thousands at various points of entry into the city was a greater challenge than they anticipated.
A senior officer detailed how staff on the ground were overwhelmed and outnumbered: “After running through barricades and colliding with police, protesters from Ghazipur reached Sarai Kale Khan and then ITO, where they were once again asked by the police to stop. But many of them drove heavy vehicles and those who went on foot carried sticks. Meanwhile, a group from the Singhu border reached Mukarba Chowk, where they first physically assaulted the tow truck drivers and removed all the barricades. They then made their way to Burari and Kashmere Gate, eliminating any resistance that got in their way. By the time both groups converged on the Red Fort, there were thousands, while there were only between 200 and 300 policemen there.
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