Missing local journalist among victims of violence in Lakhimpur Kheri

While locals said the journalist’s family members had ascertained his identity when his body was taken for post mortem, official confirmation on the same was yet to be made.

A local journalist, who was missing since Sunday’s violence at Lakhimpur Kheri district in Uttar Pradesh, is said to have been identified as one of the victims of the clashes. While locals said the journalist’s family members had ascertained his identity when his body was taken for post mortem, official confirmation on the same was yet to be made. The deceased was identified as Raman Kashyap.

Protesting farmers and family members with bodies of victims in Lakhimpur Kheri on Monday. (Deepak Gupta/HT Photo)

At least eight persons, four among them being farmers, died in the violence that broke out in the district on Sunday following a protest to block deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya’s visit to Banbirpur village. Soon after violence and arson broke out in the area.

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

The violence broke out after the two SUVs allegedly ran over a group of anti-farm law protesters who were demonstrating against Maurya's visit at the Tikonia-Banbirpur road on Sunday.

The two vehicles were set ablaze by the angry farmers, reports said. They also allegedly thrashed some passengers of the vehicles.

The farmers have alleged that Union minister of state Ajay Mishra Teni’s son Ashish Mishra was driving one of the vehicles that allegedly ran over the protesters.

Mishra and his aides have been named in an FIR that has been filed based on complaints from the farmers.

The Union minister has however, refuted all allegations against his son. 

The administration has barred most politicians from visiting the district even as farmer leader Rakesh Tikait made his way to the village late on Sunday night.

While Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was arrested after she reached the district, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav was put under house arrest in Lucknow. 

(With inputs from bureau)