New Delhi: Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait on Monday reached Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri in wake of the violence that erupted after two SUVs allegedly ran over a group of anti-farm law protesters who were demonstrating against the visit of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya at Tikonia-Banbirpur road on Sunday.
The violence has claimed 8 lives so far, Additional Superintendent of Police Arun Kumar Singh informed the ANI.
"We will first meet the farmers and villagers and discuss the situation with them. The future course of action will be done on the basis of the discussion with the villagers and farmers. Their decision will prevail," Tikait was quoted by PTI in its report.
Farmer leaders alleged that Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Misra's son was in one of the SUVs which allegedly ran over the protesters. In clarification, the Union Minister issued a self-made video in which he claims that his son was not present during the incident. He further adds that some miscreants from the agitating farmers pelted stones on the car, which led to the incident.
"They were miscreants among the farmers. Since the beginning of the farmers' agitation, many terror outfits including Babbar Khalsa are trying to create a chaotic situation. This incident was a result of the same," Union MoS Ajay Misra said.
In view of the comments made by the Union Minister in the purported video, BKU leader Rakesh Tikait demanded his arrest and said the atmosphere in the region was being vitiated over the last 10 days.
"En route to Lakhimpur, we were stopped at multiple places by the UP Police. Somehow we have managed to reach here at Banbirpur village and Tikait ji will now be meeting the farmers here," BKU's media in-charge Dharmendra Malik informed PTI.
Meantime, Uttar Pradesh police have deployed its forces outside former Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav's residence at Vikramaditya Marg ahead of his scheduled visit to Lakhimpur Kheri.
(With inputs from Agencies)