Farmers drive convoy of tractors to Indian capital for protest on Republic Day

Police in New Delhi use tear gas to disperse farmers who marched to the capital during India’s Republic Day celebrations (Altaf Qadri/AP)

Tens of thousands of protesting farmers have driven long lines of tractors into India’s capital, breaking through police barricades, defying tear gas and storming the historic Red Fort as the nation celebrated Republic Day.

They waved farm union flags from the ramparts of the fort, where prime ministers annually hoist the national flag to mark the country’s independence.