Lakhimpur Incident: FIR Filed Against Ashish Misra, Oppn Stopped From Visiting Violence-Hit Area | Key Points

Heavy police deployment and barricading around Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri district registered huge violence claiming the lives of 8 people.

New Delhi: The violent incident in Lakhimpur shocked the country on Sunday as violence erupted during a farmers' protest, claiming the lives of both farmers and BJP workers ahead of a visit to Lakhimpur by Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, according to a report by PTI.

 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 including 4 farmers, mentioned a PTI report. Two SUVs were set on fire by angry farmers in the clash near Banbirpur in Lakhimpur Kheri

Four of the dead were people in the cars, apparently a part of a convoy of BJP workers who had come to welcome the UP minister. They were allegedly thrashed to death.

Several people were hospitalised, according to the two sides.

Farmer leaders claimed that the son of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra was in one of the cars which they said knocked down some protesters who were opposing the deputy CM's visit.

The minister rejected the claim. He said the vehicle overturned when farmers hurled stones at it, and according to another official account, two farmers died after it fell over them.

The violence triggered outbursts with opposition parties blaming the Uttar Pardesh BJP government for the farmers' deaths. Within hours, it turned into a rallying point for the opposition in the state which is gearing up for the assembly polls early next year.

Here are the key updates on the Lakhimpur incident:

 

• Heavy police deployment and barricading around Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri district has brought life to a standstill as people including the locals are not being allowed to visit the area where violence on Sunday claimed at least eight lives.


• Police have been deployed around the adjoining villages including Palia, Puranpur, Bhira, Bijua, and Khajuria among others. Also, vehicles are being stopped at least 60-70 km away from the violence-hit site. Services of tour and travel buses have also come to a halt in the area -- which is located near to the Nepal border.


• According to a report by IANS, cops are instructed to calmly handle the situation and not to use force against farmers.


• The Internet has been suspended in the Lakhimpur area, according to IANS.


• According to ABP News sources, FIR has been registered against Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Misra's son Ashish Misra. Farmer leaders alleged that Ajay Misra's son was in one of the SUVs which allegedly ran over the protesters. 


• Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has arrested early morning today by the Uttar Pradesh police as she headed to meet the families of four farmers killed in the wake of violence during an anti-farm laws protest in the state the previous day, claimed youth congress leader Srinivas BV.

• Heavy barricading has been deployed outside Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav after he said he would visit the families of farmers who lost their lives in the incident.

• UP Additional Chief Secretary Awanish Awasthi has asked Lucknow airport not to allow Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel & Punjab Deputy CM Sukhjinder S Randhawa to land at the airport. Baghel & Randhawa have announced to visit Lakhimpur Kheri today.

• Lakhimpur Kheri DM AK Chaurasiya said that he has received a memorandum (from farmers), demanding the dismissal of MoS Home AK Mishra, , payment of ex gratia & govt jobs to the family of the deceased & judicial probe into yesterday’s incident.


• Uttar Pradesh Govt writes to Punjab's chief secretary, urging not to let anyone from the state go to Lakhimpur Kheri where Section 144 of CrPC was imposed following death of 8 people in violence on Sunday.


• Apart from heavy police deployment, hundreds of farmers with their tractors have assembled around the area since early morning, resulting in traffic blockade and traffic congestion in the region.


• The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday demanded a CBI probe into the incident. Delhi chief minister and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal demanded that the perpetrators of "such a heinous crime" be given "strictest punishment".


• Union Minister Ajay Mishra refuted allegations that his son Ashish Mishra was involved in the incident at Lakhimpur Kheri in which farmers died and said that three BJP workers and a driver were beaten to death by "some elements" present among the protesting farmers there.

• Ajay Misra also told PTI that the protesters first pelted stones on the vehicles of BJP workers due to which his driver lost control of the vehicle leading to the accident.


• West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee condemned the incident and described it as "barbaric". She added that five Trinamool Congress MPs will visit the families of the victims on Monday.


• NCP chief Sharad Pawar said "Barbaric way of silencing the voices of our Kisans. I strongly condemn the incident at Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh."


• BSP supremo Mayawati claimed the incident brings out the "dictatorial and barbaric image" of the BJP government. "There is no hope that the victims of this incident will get proper justice from this government. We demand the Supreme Court takes note of the incident. We will also send a BSP delegation to the incident site," she said in a series of tweets.


• SP chief Akhilesh Yadav tweeted that he spoke to one of the injured, Tejinder Singh Virk, and demanded the government provides him immediate medical aid. "There is just one demand, the CM should resign," he said.