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Lakhimpur Kheri Violence News Updates: Eight people, including four farmers, were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3 as violence erupted during a protest against the new farm laws, ahead of a visit by Uttar Pradesh Deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya. A journalist who was present at the spot died on October taking the death toll to nine, according to reports. The incident happened when a convoy of three SUVs, including one owned by Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Teni, hit the protesting farmers on October 3 on the Tikonia-Banbirpur road. The Police have registered a case of murder and rioting against Ajay Mishra Teni's son Ashish Mishra and 13 others in the violence. Teni told news agency ANI that the car lost balance after and ended up killing two people after “miscreants from the agitating farmers” began pelting stones at the vehicle.
The violence has triggered a political slugfest with the Opposition parties trying to corner the Yogi Adityanath-led government even as the chief minister has promised to punish the guilty.
Congress’ general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was detained near Sitapur on her way to Kheri. Police has been deployed outside the Lucknow residence of former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav as Lakhimpur Kheri turned into a fortress a day after the incident.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath called the incident "unfortunate" and promised strict action against those responsible. The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) has decided to stage a protest in every district across the country on October 4. The farmers have demanded that the Union Minister be suspended from his post, immediate arrest of his son Ashish Mishra, an ex-gratia of Rs 1 crore for the families of those who were killed.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi must sack Union minister Ajay Mishra over the violence here which left eight people dead, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Jayant Chaudhary demanded on Monday after meeting families of the victims in the village. Chaudhary also claimed the villagers told him during the meeting that the violence appeared "pre-meditated" and hoped the Uttar Pradesh government led by Yogi Adityanath "does not prosecute farmers".
The violence had broken out on Sunday during an anti-farm laws protest ahead of UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya's visit to Banbirpur, the native village of Union Minister of State Home Ajay Mishra. Mishra's son Ashish and BJP supporters are accused of running over farmers in their SUVs, while the minister claims his son was not present there during the incident.
The RLD president met the family of Gurvendra Singh (18) at their village in the Tikonia area here around 6 pm, after a gruelling 13-hour-long journey from Delhi that forced him to change routes, vehicles and even walk on foot amid heavy police security along the way that was put to prevent politicians from reaching here. "I visited the family of Gurvendra Singh. He was just 18 years old. The family is impoverished, his father is a construction worker. I met his two sisters who told me they would serve their parents. It was such a bold thing for them to say," Chaudhary told.
PTI
An uneasy calm prevailed in Lakhimpur Kheri on Monday, a day after eight people were killed in violent clashes during a farmers’ protest.
There was heavy police deployment at most of the crossings in the district, around 150 km from Uttar Pradesh’s capital city, Lucknow.
Most of the shops remained shut except those dealing with medicines and other essential goods.
Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC are in force in the district and Internet services have also been discontinued to maintain law and order in the wake of the clash on Sunday.
PTI
RSS leader Indresh Kumar on Monday condemned the violence in Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh that left eight people dead and appealed to people to maintain peace saying the country faces various threats to its security and unity. He also asked the people of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh to take a pledge and demand China and Pakistan to vacate illegally occupied Indian territories and to stop oppression against their minorities.
Talking to reporters here, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader said, "A probe should be conducted (into Lakhimpur Kheri violence) and culprits punished. We appeal to the people of the country not to take any agitation towards violent end as dialogue holds the key so that the development continues and we have a safe and strong country." He said the country is facing various threats to its security and unity and so the people need to maintain brotherhood and peace, and added "we condemn this incident". (PTI)
"We condemn the unfortunate incident happened in Lakhimpur Kheri andguilty should be arrested. The reason behind this incident is three farm laws... I along with my ministers met Governor Banwarilal Purohit andgave him the memorandum to repeal the three farm laws," news agency ANI quoted Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channias saying.
Channi was denied the permission to visit Lakhimpur Kheri earlier today, as the Uttar Pradesh government cited the imposition of Section 144 in the region.
Senior Congress leader Deepinder Singh Hooda on Monday said the farmers' agitation at Lakhimpur Kheri will usher in a change of government in Uttar Pradesh, similar to the change of guard following the Bhatta Parsaul episode a decade ago. "I was a part of the Bhatta Parsaul movement and had taken part in the foot-march. The then BSP government had targeted farmers, totally disregarding their self-respect. Today, the same situation is prevailing. After Bhatta Parsaul, there was a change of government in Uttar Pradesh and there will be a change of government in the state now," Hooda, who was detained in Sitapur while he was on his way to Lakhimpur Kheri, told. (PTI)
Punjab Deputy CM Sukhjinder Randhawa andCongress leader Kuljit Nagra along with other party leaders have been detained by UP police in Saharanpur, while they were on their way to Lakhimpur Kheri to meet families of farmers who lost their lives in violence, news agency ANI reported.
Seeking the harshest punishment for those involved in the violence in Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh, the RSS-affiliated farmer union BKS on Monday said people from various political parties, and not farmers, were behind it.
Describing the incident as "unfortunate", the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) in a statement said, "The people involved in the incident were not farmers, they belonged to various political parties. The incident was carried out using leftist methods. People were mercilessly beaten to death with sticks, something farmers cannot do." READ FULL REPORT.
"This is a very sad andunfortunate incident. I have no words to condemn this incident. They (BJP government) don't believe in democracy, they only want autocracy. Is this 'Ram rajya'? No, this is 'killing rajya'," Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said.
The CPI(M) on Monday hit out at the BJP and the government, saying they have "no business to not allow" political leaders to visit Lakhimpur Kheri where violent clashes left four farmers dead. Opposition parties have alleged that their leaders were not being allowed to meet the families of the victims.
"The BJP and Modi government have no business to not allow political parties to reach victims of the barbarism inflicted on farmers yesterday. Strongly condemn this draconian throttling of democracy," CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said in a tweet. "The sacrifice of our brave and determined farmers will not be allowed to go in vain. Our respects to those who have paid with their lives," he added.
Eight people were killed on Sunday as violence erupted during a farmers' protest, claiming the lives of both farmers and BJP workers in Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh. (PTI)
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will hold a candle light march at Delhi's Jantar Mantar at 5 pm to protest against the death of eightpeople, including four farmers, in UP's Lakhmipur Kheri.
"BJPcannot tolerate any voice that is against them. Most opposition leaders have either been detained or put under house arrest. We demand the Union Minister be removed. This was not an ordinary incident but murder,"ChhattisgarhCMBhupeshBaghelsaid onLakhimpurKheriviolence.
The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday announced that a retired High Court judge will probe the Lakhimpur Kheri violence and that it will give Rs 45 lakh compensation to the families of the four farmers killed in the incident. The government will also give Rs 10 lakh to those injured in the violence, said Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Awanish Awasthi.
"An agreement has been reached with the farmers. The government will give Rs 45 lakh to the family members of the four farmers who were killed in the violence on Sunday. Besides, one member from their families will be given a government job at the local level," he said. (PTI)
