4 Farmers, 4 BJP Men Killed As UP Protest Turns Violent

Union Min Denies Son Was In Convoy That ‘Ran Over’ 4

- Kanwardeep Singh

Bareilly: At least eight people were killed as violence flared up at Tikunia in UP’s Lakhimpur Kheri on Sunday after a convoy of cars, allegedly led by junior Union minister Ajay Mishra Teni’s son Ashish, ran over four farmers during a black-flag protest.

Angry farmers then reportedly beat up four BJP workers to death before setting their vehicles on fire.

The minister denied his son was present at the spot.

Twelve people were injured by the speeding cars and 50 more were hurt in police lathi-charge later, farmer leaders claimed.

No FIR had been registered in either case till the time of filing this report. Three companies of Police Armed Constabulary have been sent to the area and internet services, locals said, have been suspended. ADG (law and order) Prashant Kumar had left for the village along with IG (Lucknow range) Laxmi Singh. “The situation is peaceful and under control,” Nighasan SDM Om Prakash Gupta said.

The protest goes back to a statement allegedly made by Ajay Teni last week. In a purported video of the speech doing the rounds, he is heard saying, with reference to the farmers’ protest, “Fix yourselves or face me. I will fix you in a matter of minutes. I am not just a minister or an MLA or an MP. Those who know me from before I became a legislator would also know I never retreat from challenges.”

Govt will investigate, punish anti-social elements, says Yogi

It is an unfortunate inci-dent and the government will investigate the reasons and punish all anti-social elements,” CM Yogi Adityanath said in a statement.