BJP leader Ajay Mishra
Lakhimpur Kheri latest news: Ashish Mishra, son of Union Minister Ajay Mishra, has denied his role in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident. In an exclusive interaction with India TV on Tuesday, Ashish accepted that the Mahindra Thar vehicle seen in the viral video of the incident was his, but added that he was not at the place where the violence took place on Sunday.
Ashish Mishra alias Monu said that at the time the incident took place he was watching a wrestling event some 4.5 kms away in the area.
"A wrestling event was being organised some 4.5 km from the spot. This is an ancestral program of our family, which is going on for the last 35 years. I am the president of this event. Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya was to attend this program as the chief guest," Ashish told India TV.
"I was present in this program from morning till the end and went nowhere. Some workers were sent to receive the Deputy Chief Minister. But, before they could reach to receive them, the vehicles were attacked, vandalized and people were pulled out of the vehicles and killed," he alleged.
What happened in UP's Lakhimpur Kheri
As many as eight people, including a journalist, were killed in the violence that erupted during a farmers' protest at Lakhimpur Kheri on Sunday. Four farmers died after allegedly being knocked down by vehicles driven by BJP workers travelling to welcome Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya.
Four others were also killed in the clashes. Two were BJP workers, Shyam Sundar and Shubham Mishra (27), and one was the Union minister's driver Hariom Mishra (35). All three hailed from Lakhimpur Kheri district.
The Yogi Adityanath government had announced of a compensation of Rs 45 lakh each to families of four at the venue of the farmers' agitation in the presence of famer leader Rakesh Tikait.
Politics galore
As soon as the news about the violence spread, political leaders, including Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi, former UP Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav proceeded to Lakhimpur Kheri to show solidarity with the families of those killed. While Akhilesh was not allowed to move ahead in Lucknow itself, Priyanka was detained by the police and kept at a guest house in Sitapur. She was arrested on Tuesday for violating Section 144.
The case under Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) sections 151, 107, 116 (all related to preventive detention due to apprehension of breach of peace) has also been registered against Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu and party leader Deependra Hooda.
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