Will kill myself but won't end protest until farm laws are repealed: BKU's Tikait

New Delhi: Delhi Police Thursday issued lookout notices against farmer leaders and registered a case under the stringent UAPA and sedition for the Republic Day violence and said its Special Cell will probe the "conspiracy" and "criminal designs" behind the incidents, even as the Ghaziabad administration gave an ultimatum to the protesters at UP Gate to vacate the site by Thursday midnight. 

A confrontation was building up at the UP Gate in Ghazipur bordering Delhi with heavy security deployed while frequent power cuts were witnessed in the evening at the protest site, where Bharatiya Kisan Union members, led by Rakesh Tikait, are staying put since November 28.

Tikait, the BKU's national spokesperson, was adamant threatening, "I will commit suicide but won't end protest until the farm bills are repealed." 

He also claimed threat to his life, alleging that armed goons were sent to the protest site.

Condemning the Uttar Pradesh government and police for the ultimatum, he said, "No violence has taken place at the Ghazipur border but still the UP government is resorting to policy of suppression. This is the face of the UP government." 

The "verbal" communication from the Ghaziabad administration to BKU came after three farmers union withdrew their protest against the three central farm laws over the violence in Delhi that left 394 security personnel injured and one protestor dead. 

"Ghaziabad District Magistrate Ajay Shankar Pandey has communicated to the protestors camping at the UP Gate at Delhi border to vacate the spot by tonight or the administration will remove them," a district official told PTI.

Meanwhile, widening its probe in connection with the violent turn of events on Tuesday during which protesters also stormed the iconic Red Fort and hoisted a Sikh religious flag, Delhi Police said the role and conduct of organisations and individuals based in India as well as those out of the country will be investigated, a move that comes after police chief S N Srivastava warned no culprit will be spared.

The Delhi Police claimed that there was a "pre-conceived" and "well coordinated" plan to break the agreement arrived at with farmer leaders to bring international embarrassment for the government on Republic Day.

The Crime Branch will probe the cases of violence at the Red Fort, ITO, Nangloi Crossing, and six other places during the farmers' tractor parade on Republic Day, an official said.

An ACP-rank officer will head each team that will investigate nine cases and there will be multiple officers assisting him or her, he said.

The official said the police have so far registered 33 FIRs in connection with the violence, adding that lookout notices have been issued against 44 people, which include most of farmer leaders.

"The Delhi Police has issued lookout notices against farmer leaders named in an FIR in connection with the violence during the tractor parade," the police commissioner told PTI.