Hours after Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was detained by the Uttar Pradesh police on her way to meet the families of the four farmers killed in violence in Lakhimpur Kheri district, Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and other MLAs were also detained while trying to reach the UP district.
Eight people, including four farmers, were killed in the district after violence on Sunday over a visit by Union Minister Ajay Kumar Mishra and UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Maurya. A murder case has been filed against Mr Mishra's son and several others over the violence.
The farmers, who had assembled to stop the visit of the Union Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Maurya, said the violence in Lakhimpur Kheri started after one of the cars in the ministers' convoy mowed down the protesters. Visuals from the area showed arson and vehicles set on fire.
This morning, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was detained by the Uttar Pradesh police as she headed to meet the families of four farmers killed in the violence. "I am not important than the people you have killed. The government you are defending. You give me a legal warrant, a legal basis or else I will not move from here and you won't touch me," a visibly agitated Congress leader, surrounded by policemen, is heard saying in a video when her convoy is stopped at Sitapur.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said he was "saddened" by the violence in his state that left eight people, including four farmers, dead. He promised strict action against those responsible following an investigation and made an appeal to maintain peace.
Here are the Highlights on UP Lakhimpur Kheri violence:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi must sack Union minister Ajay Mishra over the violence in Lakhimpur Kheri which left eight people dead, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Jayant Chaudhary demanded on Monday after meeting families of the victims in the village. Mr 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 Punjab Cabinet on Monday observed a two-minute silence to pay homage to four farmers who lost their lives in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident in Uttar Pradesh. The Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi "prayed to the Almighty to give courage to the bereaved families to bear this irreparable loss in this hour of grief and grant eternal peace to the departed souls," the Punjab government said in an official statement.
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president Bibi Jagir Kaur on Monday said she has decided to send an SGPC delegation to Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh to meet the family of victim farmers, reported PTI. "A delegation is being sent by the SGPC to Uttar Pradesh to enquire into the matter and get the details of the case from the families of the victims. The delegation will submit its report to the Akal Takht," she said. Ms Kaur said the delegation would include SGPC's executive committee members Ajmer Singh Khera and Amrik Singh Shahpur, among others.
The Uttar Pradesh government is conducting a fair investigation into the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, said Union Minister of State (MoS) for Housing and Urban Affairs Kaushal Kishore on Monday, adding the incident should not be exaggerated or politicised, reported ANI.
"The Uttar Pradesh government is conducting a fair investigation into this. The Opposition should also support us in this and no one should give provoking statements till the truth comes out. It should not be exaggerated or politicised," the MoS told ANI.
Attacking the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over violence in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said there is a "Killing Raj" in the state, instead of promised "Ram Raj". Read here.
The CPI(M) on Monday slammed the BJP and the Centre, saying they have "no business to not allow" political leaders to visit Lakhimpur Kheri where violent clashes left four farmers dead, PTI reported. Opposition parties have alleged that their leaders are not being allowed to meet the families of the victims.
Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda has demanded a judicial inquiry under a sitting judge, into the death of eight persons, including four farmers, in the Lakhimpur Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh, reported ANI.
Mr Hooda, who is also the former chief minister of Haryana, urged Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to take "stringent and immediate" action against those police personnel who allegedly "manhandled" party leaders Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Deepender Singh Hooda when they were on their way to meet the kin of the victims in Lakhimpur Kheri.
"The way farmers have been crushed under the car inhumanly is not accepted in a democracy. In a democracy, everybody has a right to protest. There should be a judicial inquiry under a sitting judge. Justice should be served to the victims. The right amount of compensation should also be given. After the judicial inquiry everything will be clear," Mr Hooda said.
The bodies of four farmers who, according to their supporters, were run over by a car in a minister's convoy, were kept in glass cases this morning at Lakhimpur Kheri, a four-hour drive from Lucknow. Read here.
Ashish Mishra, the son of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra, has refuted accusations that he was part of the convoy that allegedly ran over farmers in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri district on Sunday, triggering the violence that left eight people dead. Read here.
Seeking the harshest punishment for those involved in the violence in Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh, RSS-affiliated farmers' union Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) on Monday said people from various political parties, and not farmers, were behind it. Read here.
"I'll be visiting Lakhimpur Kheri to show solidarity with the people who've been murdered by Union Minister's son. It's a heinous crime. It's high time, PM Modi govt should withdraw the 3 farm laws and he should remove this Minister," AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said in Hyderabad.
Why are farmers protesting even after challenging the law in court, the Supreme Court questioned sharply today, saying it would examine whether the farmers had the right to protest when the issue of farm laws is being decided in court.
The Communist Party of India (CPI) has demanded a high-level probe into the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, adequate compensation for families of victims and the resignation of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Aam Aadmi Party delegation led by Punjab Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema along with Raghav Chadha, Kultar Sandhwa and Baljinder Kaur to leave for Lakhimpur Kheri today, the party says.
"Expressing solidarity with bereaved families of farmers, I'm leaving for Lakhimpur Kheri to be with my brothers and sisters in this hour of grief. I've also sought permission from the Uttar Pradesh government to allow landing or taking off of chopper at the site," says Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit S Channi.
Three Trinamool MPs -- Dola Sen, Pratima Mondal and Abir Ranjan Biswas -- are expected to reach Lakhimpur Kheri by around 3 pm today. They will meet with families of farmers who died yesterday.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav is on a sit-in outside his home in Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow after he was not allowed to leave home to visit Lakhimpur Kheri district, where eight including four farmers were killed in violence on Sunday.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was detained early morning today by the Uttar Pradesh police as she headed to meet the families of farmers killed in the wake of violence during an anti-farm laws protest the previous day.
Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait has left for Lakhimpur Kheri along with his several supporters amid reports of violence there during a farmers' protest in which several people have been injured. While leaving Ghazipur on the Delhi-Ghaziabad border for Lakhimpur Kheri, Mr Tikait, the BKU's national spokesperson, claimed that "several farmers" are feared dead during the violence in which two vehicles were also allegedly set on fire.
Union Minister Ajay Mishra has said that three BJP workers and a driver were beaten to death by "some elements" among the protesting farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh, after a car in which they were travelling turned turtle. Ajay Mishra told PTI over the phone that two farmers had died after coming under the car.
The Union minister of state for home said neither his son, nor he was present at the site when the incident occurred. He said the incident happened when some BJP workers were going to receive UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya who had come to attend an event at Lakhimpur Kheri.
"Some elements in farmers, who were protesting, showed black flags and pelted stones on the car which turned turtle. Two farmers came under the car and died. Three BJP workers and the driver of the car were beaten to death by some people present there," he said, adding he was on his way to get their post-mortem done.