Eight people were killed as violence erupted here during a farmers’ protest over Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya’s visit, according to an official.
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, an UP government official in Lucknow said.
Lakhimpur Kheri District Magistrate Arvind Kumar Chaurasia said four farmers and four others were killed.
Terming the clashes unfortunate, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said the state government will probe the incident and will take strict action against perpetrators.
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.
The violence broke out after two SUVs allegedly ran over a group of anti-farm law protesters, who were demonstrating at the Tikonia-Banbirpur road.
Farmers alleged that the Union minister’s son was in one of the vehicles, a charge denied by Mishra.
Mishra told media over the phone that three BJP workers and a driver were beaten to death by “some elements” in the protesting farmers after a car in which they were travelling turned turtle following pelting of stones.
Mishra 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 Maurya, who had come to attend an event at Lakhimpur Kheri.
Meanwhile, officials said the UP government has suspended Internet services in Lakhimpur Kheri district as a precautionary measure so that rumours do not spread amid tense situation there.
Now you can get latest stories from Indtoday on Telegram everyday. Click the link to subscribe. Click to follow Indtoday Facebook page and Twitter and on Instagram. For all the latest Hyderabad News updates
