Various political parties and farmers' outfits have expressed outrage over the killings of four farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh, demanding the dismissal of Union minister Ajay Kumar Mishra and filing a first information report against him and his son. The protests come in the wake of violence in Lakhimpur and a video which surfaced today apparently showing an SUV running over slogan-shouting farmers marching in the area on Sunday.
The farmers have alleged that the protesters were run over by an SUV driven by Union Minister Ajay Kumar Mishra's son Ashish Mishra. Both the minister and his son have denied even being at the spot. The video, being shared widely on social media, is yet to be verified by the police.
Eight people, including four farmers, were killed in the incident on Sunday.
The incident took place when a group of protesting farmers in Tikonia area of Kheri tried to block Mr Mishra and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya from visiting. The protesters were upset over a recent speech by Mr Mishra. The farmers claimed the violence broke out after a car in the minister's convoy ran over protesters. Visuals from the area showed arson and vehicles set on fire.
Hours ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Lucknow visit, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra tweeted the viral video of the SUV running over farmers. The Congress leader also said she had been "illegally held" indefinitely by the Uttar Pradesh government for over 38 hours after she tried to visit Lakhimpur Kheri.