Eight Killed In Protests In Lakhimpur Kheri, CM Says Guilty Will Not Be Spared

Lucknow, Oct 3 (TNA) Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath has condoled the death of eight persons in the violence that rocked Lakhimpur Kheri district on Sunday evening and has assured that the government will go deep into the whole incident and that the guilty will not be spared.

Violence had broken out in Lakhimpur Kheri after it was alleged that the car of Ashish Mishra ‘Monu’, son of union minister of state for home Ajay Mishra ran over farmers in Tikonia who were there to show black flags to deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, who was to attend a event in the area.

Eight persons, including four farmers, were killed, said Arun Kumar Singh, Additional Superintendent of Police, Lakhimpur Kheri, after farmers unions claimed two of the protesters were ran over by a vehicle in the convoy of the Union minister, in which his son and other relatives were seated.

The other four who died were occupants of the vehicle that allegedly ran over the farmers, the officer said. There is tension in the area and the internets ervices in that area have been downed. Farmers unions have called upon all farmers' organisations across India to protest at District Magistrates' offices in all districts between noon and 1 pm Monday.

Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait as well as farmers from Punjab and Haryana are on their way to the UP district. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, former UP minister Om Prakash Rajbhar and Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav are learnt to be reaching Lakhimpur Kheri on Monday.

The minister and his son both have denied any involvement in the incident.