On Tuesday, the Delhi Police arrested Punjabi actor and activist Deep Sidhu who was allegedly involved in the violence and vandalism at Red Fort on Republic Day, January 26. Delhi Police Special Cell tweeted: “On the run after show-biz at Red Fort rampart, actor Deep Sidhu arrested.” The police had announced a ₹100,000 reward for leads on Sidhu and three other accused. He was arrested from Karnal, Haryana, which is around 100 km from Delhi. As per reports, he kept changing locations to avoid arrest.
Sidhu was accused of instilling chaos and clashes on January 26 during the Republic Day tractor rally by farmers protesting against the government’s three new farm laws. Various video clips and photographs show Sidhu among other protesters clashing against the security officials and hoisting the religious flag on the Red Fort.
While talking to news agency ANI, Special Commissioner of Police Praveer Ranjan had said: “On 26 January, some people hoisted the flag at Red Fort. Some of them have been identified, among whom Deep Sidhu is the prime accused.”
Sidhu was posting videos on Facebook in which he was defending himself while the police were searching for him. According to a report in the Indian newspaper Hindustan Times, police sources stated that Sidhu’s friend in California uploaded the videos.
Numerous protesting farmer groups have accused Sidhu of attempting to wreck their movement by leading a “conspiracy” against them. In a video, Sidhu had responded saying, “If I’m being labeled a traitor, then all farmer leaders are traitors.”
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