On June 28, Delhi Police announced that its Special Cell of Northern Region (NR) had arrested a wanted criminal identified as Gurjot Singh, who had a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his head. Singh was wanted in connection to the Red Fort Violence of Republic Day 2021 in Delhi, where two flags with the Sikh holy symbol were hoisted on Red Fort. He was arrested from Amritsar, Punjab.
One Gurjot Singh who had a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his head, in connection with the January 26 Red Fort violence case has been arrested from Amritsar, Punjab: Sanjeev Yadav, DCP Special Cell in Delhi pic.twitter.com/a6UvqSyk62
— ANI (@ANI) June 28, 2021
Sanjeev Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Special Cell, confirmed the arrest and said, “One Gurjot Singh wanted in the Red Fort case who had a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his head has been arrested by a team of NR of special cell from Amritsar.”
In February 2021, Delhi Police had announced a cash reward of Rs.1 lakh for anyone who provides information to trace several accused persons in the case. Some of the accused were Gurjot Singh, Deep Sidhu, Jugraj Singh, Gurjant Singh and others. Gurjot was absconding since the January 26 incident of violence and riots in Delhi. Since then, the police were tracing the accused in Delhi and Punjab.
Republic Day Riot
On January 26, a large group of alleged farmers riding tractors drove inside Delhi and created a riot-like situation. The incident took place in the background of a tractor rally that was supposed to be held on the outskirts of Delhi. The organizers and Kisan unions had promised Delhi Police that they would conduct the tractor rally only on the approved route but on Republic Day, they broke the barriers and entered Delhi. The rally was supposed to be a protest rally against the Agriculture laws named Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 that were passed in September 2020.
The rioters posing as farmers unleashed their wrath on Delhi and Delhi Police. Around 300 police personnel were injured, and property worth crores were damaged. Visuals that emerged from the riots showed how the alleged farmers tried to mow down the police personnel with tractors, attacked them with swords, batons and other weapons and mercilessly attacked police personnel at Red Fort for security purposes.
A group of rioters including Deep Sidhu, Gurjot Singh and others reached the Red Fort and hoisted two flags with the Sikh Holy symbol. Interestingly, the hoisting of the flag was in sync with the provocations of terrorist organization Sikhs For Justice, whose founder had announced a cash prize for the person(s) who hoist the flag on Red Fort. A total of 43 cases were registered in connection to the riots.