Eight Killed As Violence Breaks Out At Farmers' Protest In Uttar Pradesh

Violence broke out at a farmers' protest site at Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Keri on Sunday evening after some were attempting to block Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya's visit to the area.

According to Lakhimpur Kheri district magistrate Arvind Kumar Chaurasia four farmers and four others were killed in the violence. Union Minister Ajay Mishra has said that three members of the Bharatiya Janata Party and their driver, who had arrived to receive the deputy CM were killed by some elements in the crowd.

"Three BJP workers and the driver of the car were beaten to death by some people present there", he is quoted as saying.

The union minister also responded to allegations that his son's car tried to run over some protestors.

"My son was present at the venue of the (deputy chief minister's) event and thousands of people, officers of the administration and police were present there. All through, I was accompanying the deputy chief minister", he said.

He also said that two farmers died when some of the protestors turned over a car in which BJP cadre were traveling. The two farmers were caught under the car and were crushed. Further, several video clips have emerged of groups of people beating up individuals.

Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh government officials have said that politicians would be stopped from visiting the area.