Akhilesh Yadav taken into custody over sit-in to protest Lakhimpur Kheri deaths

The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister asked what was it the BJP government in the state had to hide as it did not want any political leader to go to the violence-hit district.

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav was taken into custody on Monday after he staged a sit-in outside his residence for being stopped from going to Lakhimpur Kheri where at least eight lives, including that of four farmers, were lost due to violence on Sunday.  The SP’s national general secretary, Ramgopal Yadav, was also detained along with Akhilesh.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav stages a sit-in with party's national general secretary Ramgopal Yadav. (HT Photo)

The duo were taken to the nearby Gautampalli police station. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister asked what was it the BJP government in the state had to hide as it did not want any political leader to go to the violence-hit district. 

“Even the Britishers would not have committed the kind of atrocities this government is committing against farmers. Union Minister of State (Home) Ajay Mishra and deputy chief minister (Keshav Prasad Maurya) should resign. ₹2 crore and government jobs should be given to the next of kin of the farmers who died,” Yadav was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Following heavy police deployment outside his house, Yadav sat on a protest with the SP’s national general secretary. A police vehicle was set on fire amid a massive gathering of SP workers.

Meanwhile, his estranged uncle and Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party-Lohia (PSP-L) chief Shivpal Yadav managed to give police a slip while they were focused on Akhilesh. Shivpal's motorcade is now headed towards Lakhimpur Kheri. The duo’s house are located on the same same stretch in Lucknow -- Vikramaditya Marg.

Later, Shivpal and his supporters were put on a city bus and taken to police lines.

On Sunday, Akhilesh had said running over farmers who were peacefully protesting the three new central farm laws by the son of a Union minister of state was inhuman and cruel. “UP will not tolerate atrocities by arrogant BJP members...and if this state of affairs continue then in UP BJP members will not be able to travel in vehicles or get out of them,” he added in a tweet.

Violence erupted after a car hit protesting farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri, according to police. They said four farmers were killed after allegedly being hit by a convoy, while some others who were travelling in one of the vehicles were beaten to death. 

The incident was reported minutes before Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya was scheduled to visit the area. The farmers were protesting against the three central farm laws. 

Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of dozens of farmers unions, has alleged one of the four farmers was shot dead by Union minister Ajay Mishra Teni's son and others were allegedly run over by the vehicles of his convoy. The minister, however, said that his son was not present at the spot and only the jeep owned by him ferrying BJP workers were there.

Teni, his son and some others have been named in an FIR and charged with murder and other allegations based on the complaint lodged by farmers.