NEW DELHI:  A total of 20 people, comprising both policemen and farmers, are being treated at the Lok Nayak Hospital following clashes near the ITO crossing in central Delhi on Tuesday as some farmers deviated from the route of their tractor rally and drove into the city, officials said.

The Delhi government-run hospital’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Ritu Saxena, told IANS that eight policemen and 12 farmers are currently receiving treatment and a few of them have sustained serious injuries.

“Some have fractured their legs, hands and also suffered blows on their heads. We are treating them in an emergency ward,” she said.

“However, no one is in critical condition,” she added.

Saxena said that they will be discharged soon as all of them are in stable health condition.

Dramatic scenes were witnessed on Tuesday after the agitating farmers clashed with the Delhi Police near ITO, with the police firing the tear gas shells and carrying out baton charges to disperse them.

The farmers, who started their ‘Kisan Gantantra parade’ much ahead of their scheduled timing entered the national capital defying the agreement of the scheduled time of tractor rally and creating multiple fronts at Karnal Bypass, Mukarba Chowk, Transport Nagar, Akshardham, Gazipur and Tikri border and some farmers armed with swords were also seen clashing with the police.

As soon as the farmers reached the ITO intersection and tried to move towards the Red Fort, many of the farmers clashed with the police personnel and attacked them with sticks and iron rods. The farmers also damaged several vehicles with their tractors.

IANS