Tractor rally: Violence, lathicharge near Delhi's ITO area as farmers, police clash

Violence broke out in Delhi's ITO area after farmers and police clashed. Injuries were reported as police lathicharged farmers as some tractors taking part in the rally tried to deviate from the scheduled route and enter Delhi, on Tuesday.

A group of farmers who refused to follow the pre-decided routes, reached the ITO area in central Delhi. Police put barricades, used tear gas and lathi-charged farmers to stop them near Delhi Police headquarters to prevent them from moving towards Tilak Bridge.

Several metro stations including the ITO station were closed as protesting farmers arrived.

Track live updates on farmers' tractor rally here

Violence was also reported in other areas such as Lutyen's and Chintamani Chowk in Shadara.

The rally was scheduled to head towards Apsara Border but some of the tractors pushed through a police barricade at Chintamani Chowk. This prompted lathicharge by the police who tried to push back the farmers.

In the chaos, windshields of some vehicles were shattered.

Police also used tear gas on groups of farmers as they tried to break barricades and cemented barriers with tractors at Delhi's Mukarba Chowk.

Also read — Farmers break barricades at Tikri, Singhu borders during Republic Day tractor rally

Earlier, driving tractors and marching on foot, farmers started gathering in huge numbers at the police barricades set up near the Delhi-Haryana Singhu Border in north Delhi and Tikri border in West Delhi for the Kisan Ganatantra Parade which was to begin at 12:00 noon.

On Monday, the Delhi Police had spelt out 37 conditions for the Kisan Parade that was to set out from four border points – Singhu, Tikri, Ghazipur and Chilla, the latter two being the border points between Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.