Farmer leaders betrayed us, no one found guilty will be spared: Delhi Police chief

New Delhi: Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava on Wednesday spoke to the press for the first time on Wednesday since the Republic Day anarchy in the Capital and said that the farmer leaders who had promised to stick to the terms of the tractor rally had "betrayed" their trust and added that "no one will be spared if found guilty".

Police have registered 25 FIRs ranging from attempt to murder, assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty, Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, criminal conspiracy, Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment and Validation) Act.

The Delhi Police added that 19 people had been arrested in these cases so far and 50 had been detained with police sources confirming that many minors were also found to be involved in the violence on Republic Day.

Most of those arrested were between 18 and 25 years of age and three juveniles were also apprehended. The Commissioner went on to say that 394 of their personnel were injured in the violence and several of them were admitted to ICU wards.

The police have named at least 37 farmer leaders and activists in its FIRs for multiple offences ranging from breaking the NOC terms and conditions to manhandling and verbally abusing women police constables on security detail. The Commissioner added that some farmer leaders such as Rakesh Tikait, Satnam Singh Pannu had also delivered speeches inciting crowds to break the terms of the rally as decided.

In at least two FIRs accessed by Millennium Post, police have named farmer leaders who were involved in meetings with Delhi Police before the tractor parade. In one of the FIRs, Delhi Police claimed that in Ghazipur, Rakesh Tikait, farmer leader, hurled vulgar comments on a woman constable when she did not allow them to move forward for the rally.

"Tikait along with his supporters used vulgar words and also broke the barricades with tractors and moved forward at the prohibited route," police said in the FIR. According to police, at Ghazipur, apart from Tikait, Tejinder Singh Virk, Jagtar Singh Bajwa, Rishipal Singh Ambawat, VM Singh have been named.

In the FIR registered at Samaypur Badli police station, police have mentioned the names of 37 farmer leaders including Darshan Pal, Yogender Yadav, Medha Patkar, Rakesh Tikait. "The rioters, protesters and their above said leaders with their pre-planned objective of not following the mutually agreed route and the timing of commencement of the so-called parade of the protesters and disrupting the Republic Day parade and resorted to above said acts (violence) and the gathering was also in violation of guidelines regarding gatherings in view of COVID-19," the complainant, inspector Anil Kumar said in the FIR.

Commissioner Shrivastava said from January 25 evening, it came to notice that the farmers might not keep their word. They brought forward aggressive, militant elements who occupied the stage and delivered provocative speeches. Their leader Satnam Singh Pannu delivered provocative statements and another leader Darshan Pal Singh sat at Mukarba Chowk refusing to proceed on the decided route, he said. "No one will be spared if found guilty,"

he added.

He further added that the Delhi Police's decision to exercise restraint, as per the agreed-upon terms with the farmers, ensured that not even one life was lost due to police action. The city police are also using face recognition software to identify suspects.

Sources have confirmed that two videos of Rakesh Tikait are under the scrutiny of the Delhi Police and there is also a possibility that in the Red Fort incident, there might be a possibility of Section 124 A of IPC being added to the FIR.

Sources in the know added that during initial investigations of the Red Fort violence, they have found that there was dacoity inside the heritage site as well.

A magazine of police MP 5 weapon, government properties were taken by these protestors. A team of the Crime Branch visited the spot for their investigation. There is also a possibility that one of the CAPFs will also give their complaint on the violence — which will be added to the FIR.

"More than 3,000 people were at the ramparts of the Red Fort," sources said. They vandalised CISF, Delhi Police vehicles. "There will be more complaints and sections will increase," sources added.

When asked whether Deep Sidhu or any other leaders were named in the FIR, sources said that the Special Branch has given some names but it is still not clear. "Look at different areas where the violence took place. There was presence of some leaders but here there is no clarity as to who was the leader. All these things are under the ambit of the probe," the source said.