Delhi Police conducts raids to nab suspects hoisting flag at Red Fort on Republic Day

Investigating the violence that ensued after the farmers' tractor rally on Republic Day and the vandalism at the Red Fort, Delhi Police on Saturday conducted raids at various places in Punjab's Jalandhar to nab the possible suspects but couldn't find them on the tracked location. The Delhi police raided the Basti Bawa Khel area of Jalandhar while acting on the gathered information of two persons identified as Jugraj Singh and Navpreet Singh of Tarn Taran who are said to have hoisted the Nishan Sahib flag on the Red Fort.

Speaking with ANI, Jalandhar Police stated that Delhi Police approached the police personnel at Basti Bawa Khel police station for further coordination and communication as they could not find the people they were looking for.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Investigation, Jalandhar, Gurmeet Singh said, "A Delhi Police team comprising five to seven personnel had arrived in Jalandhar today morning to nab two youths named Jugraj Singh and Navpreet Singh of Tarn Taran suspected of being involved in vandalism at the Red Fort on January 26.

"They did not find the youths at the tracked location. The team also raided the residence of one Kanwar Pal Singh Goldie who is said to have lived with them. Nobody was taken into custody since the above-named youths could not be found," added the DCP.

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Protests continue unabated

Meanwhile, the farmers continue to protest at on the border areas of Delhi as the protest enters 66th day. If the Republic day violence wasn't enough, clashes broke out between the protesting farmers and the local villagers on the Singhu border who had come appeal to the farmers on Friday to vacate the protest area. The two sides pelted stones and attacked each other with sticks, leading to a further escalation in violence. The Delhi Police had to intervene which was met with stone-pelting. Thereafter, to control the escalating situation, the police was forced to lathi-charge the aggressive mob and fired tear gas shells. Several cops including SHO of Alipur suffered injuries in the clash at the Singhu Border.

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Republic Day violence

The Republic Day this year was marred with chaos and mayhem after the tractor rally of the farmers which turned violent with incidents of vandalism, rioting and assault on Policemen. The violent mob also breached the Red Fort, damaged several areas of the Fort and also planted a saffron flag and a yellow flag bearing the holy Sikh symbol atop the dome of the Fort, while another violent protestor planted the flag on a podium in Red Fort. Farmers were seen riding bikes brandishing swords, sticks and vandalised a bus, drove tractors at full speed towards the police personnel who were blocking them. Over 300 police personnel were injured in the violence while one farmer died after his tractor turned turtle. Delhi Police has filed over 25 cases, several FIRs and arrested 19 people.

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