Lakhimpur Kheri: 8 dead in violence during farmers' protest in UP; CM Yogi Adityanath orders probe

Lakhimpur Kheri, Oct 03: Eight people were killed as violence erupted here during a farmers' protest over Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya's visit.

Two SUVs were set on fire by angry farmers, reports said, after they hit a group of protesters. Four of the dead were travelling in the vehicles and the remaining two were farmers, sources said.

The violence broke out after two SUVs allegedly ran over over a group of anti-farm law protesters, who were demonstrating against the visit of Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya at the Tikonia-Banbirpur road here. Angry protesters allegedly forced the two vehicles to stop and set them on fire. They also allegedly thrashed some passengers.

The farmers had assembled there to oppose Maurya's visit to Banbirpur, the native village of Union minister of state for Home and MP Ajay Kumar Mishra.

Several journalists were also reported to have sustained injuries in the incident. Meanwhile, in view of the violence, Maurya's visit to Banbirpur village has been cancelled.

UP CM Yogi Adityananth has termed Lakhimpur incident as unfortunate. The state government will go into depth and expose elements involved in the incident and will take strict action against them, said a government statement.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said those who remain silent even after Sunday's incident in Lakhimpur Kheri are already dead and underlined that the sacrifice of farmers will not go in vain.

"Those who remain silent even after seeing this inhuman massacre are already dead. But we will not let this sacrifice go in vain -- ''Long live Kisan Satyagraha''," he said in a tweet in Hindi using the hashtag ''Farmers Protest''.