Chadigarh: Punjab Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu was detained after he led a protest in Chandigarh against the death of eight persons, including four farmers, in Sunday’s violence in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri district, according to media reports.
Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi was not allowed to visit the violence-hit district in Uttar Pradesh. Earlier, Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa too was denied permission to land at the Lucknow airport.
Sidhu asked for the arrest of Union Minister Ajay Kumar Mishra’s son, Ashish Mishra for allegedly running a car over protesting farmers. Chandigarh Police detained Mr Sidhu and the Congress workers. Mr Sidhu’s protest comes nearly a week after he resigned as the Punjab Congress chief. He is now back on board after an agreement was reached with Mr Channi.
144 imposed in Lakhimpur
Acting on the rising tensions in Lakhimpur, section 144 has been imposed in the district on Sunday night along with additional police deployment. Entry of political leaders into the district has been banned and heavy deployment of police has been made in surrounding districts too.
According to media reports, eight people, four of which were farmers were killed in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri after violence erupted over a visit by Mishra and UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Maurya.
A murder case has been filed against Union Minister Ajay Kumar Mishra’s son, Ashish Mishra and several others over Sunday’s violence in Lakhimpur Kheri. The farmers who were present to curb the visit of the Union Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Maurya, said the violence in Lakhimpur Kheri district 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, Congress leader 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.
Judicial probe must be initiated into Lakhimpur incident: UP Congress Chief
Uttar Pradesh Congress Chief Ajay Kumar Lallu on Sunday said that a judicial probe must take place into the Lakhimpur Kheri incident in which four farmers have lost their lives and several others are injured.
“There should be a judicial probe into the matter. Also, the victims must be provided with good treatment. BJP is trying to suppress the farmer’s voices and brutalise them like Britishers,” Mr Lallu said.
As many as eight people died in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident on Sunday, said police.
Additional Superintendent of Police, Lakhimpur Kheri Arun Kumar Singh confirmed eight deaths including four farmers and four occupants of the vehicle(s) that allegedly ran over the farmers.
Detainments so far
Acting on the rising tensions in Lakhimpur, section 144 has been imposed in the district on Sunday night along with additional police deployment. Entry of political leaders into the district has been banned and heavy deployment of police has been made in surrounding districts too.
Opposition leaders like Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Deepender Hooda (Congress), Sanjay Singh (AAP) and Chandrashekhar Azad (Bhim Army) have been detained enroute to Lakhimpur
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