NEW DELHI (INDIA) – Police in New Delhi arrested a man on Tuesday for allegedly spearheading a group of farmers who clashed with cops and stormed the Red Fort last month.
For more than 2 months, tens of thousands of farmers have been camping outside the national capital blocking arteries in a bid to pressure the government to repeal controversial agricultural laws, which they allege benefit only private buyers.
During the Republic Day celebrations in the capital, farmers organised a rally of tractors that turned violent when some agitating agriculturists stormed the Red Fort.
In the clash with police, one protester died and hundreds were hurt.
An actor from the northern state of Punjab Deep Sindhu was arrested for allegedly orchestrating the attack.
He hails from the Sikh community whose members have been at the forefront of the agitation.
Police officer Chinmoy Biswal said the little-known actor would be interrogated.
Leaders of the farmers’ unions said the actor was not part of the protest and blamed him for infiltrating their tractor rally.
Union leaders alleged that Sidhu was sympathetic to certain insurgent groups seeking an independent Sikh state named Khalistan, carved out of India.
In the 1980s, the Sikh separatists waged an insurgency against the government and activism by members of the community risk opening old wounds.