Red Fort Vandalism Case: Farmer From Amritsar Arrested

The accused was identified as Gurjot Singh, on whom a cash reward of Rs 1 lakh was announced for information that would lead to his arrest.

The Wire Staff

The accused was identified as Gurjot Singh, on whom a cash reward of Rs 1 lakh was announced for information that would lead to his arrest.

red fort vandalism case farmer from amritsar arrested

Farmers at their tractor rally to protest against Centre;s farm laws in New Delhi, January 26, 2021. Photo: PTI/Shahbaz Khan

New Delhi: The Delhi Police's Special Cell has arrested a man from Punjab in connection with the Red Fort vandalism case, officials said on Monday. The accused was identified as Gurjot Singh, on whom a cash reward of Rs 1 lakh was announced for information that would lead to his arrest.

Deputy commissioner of police (Special Cell) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav told news agency PTI that Gurjot Singh was arrested from Amritsar.

According to the Indian Express, the 21-year-old Singh is a farmer and a native of Talwandi Sobha Singh village in Tarn Taran district. Police sources told the newspaper that he was among the people who participated in the tractor rally on Republic Day. After the vandalism, he returned to the Singhu border, where the protesters were camped, and then to his village.

“Several teams of northern range conducted raids in Punjab and they finally found him in Amritsar. He is accused of being involved in hoisting the religious flags at the Red Fort. However, during interrogation, he has denied all charges,” unnamed police sources told the Indian Express.

Apart from Gurjot Singh, the Rs 1 lakh reward was also announced for information that would lead to the arrest of Deep Sidhu, Jugraj Singh, Gurjant Singh and others.

Clashes were reported between farmers and police at several locations during the tractor rally, which was part of the farmers' protest against the Union government's farm laws. The clashes were most intense at the Red Fort, where a religious flag was hoisted on the ramparts.

The Delhi police have registered as many as 40 FIRs related to the vandalism and clashes and at least 130 people have been arrested. While the police have served show-cause notices on many farmer union leaders, the unions have dissociated themselves from the protesters who participated in the violence. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of unions that is spearheading the movement, said 'anti-social' elements had infiltrated the rally to instigate violence.

(With PTI inputs)

This article went live on June twenty-eighth, two thousand twenty one, at ten minutes past two in the afternoon.

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