Oppn expresses outrage after eight people were killed during a farmers’ protest in UP’s Lakhimpur Kheri.

Lakhimpur Kheri/Lucknow: Eight people were killed on Sunday when violence erupted during a farmers’ protest, killing both farmers and BJP workers ahead of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya’s visit to Lakhimpur, officials said.

Two SUVs were set on fire by enraged farmers in a clash near Banbirpur in Lakhimpur Kheri, the bloodiest incident of violence since the protest against the Centre’s farm laws began last year.

Four of those killed were in the cars, which were apparently part of a convoy of BJP workers who had come to greet the UP minister. They were said to have been thrashed to death.

According to officials, the four others were farmers.

According to both sides, several people were hospitalised.

Farmer leaders claimed that the son of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra was in one of the cars that hit some protesters opposing the deputy chief minister’s visit.

The claim was rejected by the minister. According to him, the vehicle overturned after farmers threw stones at it, and two farmers were killed when it fell on them, according to another official account.

The violence sparked outbursts from opposition parties, who blamed the state government for the deaths of the farmers.

Within hours, it had become a rallying point for the opposition in the state, which is preparing for assembly elections early next year.

According to a state government official, farmers waved black flags as the cavalcade passed by. A vehicle collapsing over two farmers killed at its back end overturned.

According to officials, four people were then dragged from the vehicles and beaten to death. According to Union Minister Mishra, the victims were three BJP workers and a driver who were beaten to death by “some elements” among the protesting farmers.

According to him, the car turned turtle after protesters pelted stones at the cavalcade.

Mishra stated that he and his son were not present at the site, as some farmer leaders claimed, and that he has photo and video evidence to prove it.

“My son was present at the venue of the (deputy chief minister’s) event, which was attended by thousands of people, administration and police officers.” I was with the deputy chief minister the entire time, he explained.

Ours was one of the vehicles that was set on fire. Our worker’s vehicle was the second vehicle to be set ablaze. “My driver was assassinated,” Mishra told a television station.

Lovepreet Singh (20), Daljeet Singh (35), Nachattar Singh (60), and Gurvinder Singh are the four farmers who died, according to the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (19).

The farmers’ group said in an evening statement that 12 to 15 people had been injured and were being treated in hospitals. According to the Union minister, ten BJP workers were injured, and several cars were damaged.

Tikait, a BKU leader, has demanded Mishra’s dismissal and the filing of a murder charge against his son and other thugs.

The farmers’ group said in an evening statement that 12 to 15 people had been injured and were being treated in hospitals. According to the Union minister, ten BJP workers were injured, and several cars were damaged.

Tikait, a BKU leader, has demanded Mishra’s dismissal and the filing of a murder charge against his son and other thugs.

Farmers’ unions have also announced a nationwide protest on Monday at district magistrates’ offices.

Tikait claimed the farmers were assaulted on their way back from the Lakhimpur protest. In a video clip, he claimed that some of them were run over and that they were also shot at.

Akhilesh Yadav, the leader of the Samajwadi Party, blamed the violence on the son of a Union minister and said the farmers were protesting peacefully. UP will not tolerate the BJP’s oppression, he tweeted in Hindi.

RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary also claimed that minister Ajay Mishra’s cavalcade ran over farmers protesting. The BKU claimed it was the minister’s son’s car.

Our vehicles were set on fire, and workers were attacked. Would I be standing if I had been in one of the cars? asked Ashish Mishra, the minister’s son.

Priyanka Gandhi, who is accompanied by party leader Deepender Singh Hooda and others, had to take alternate routes to reach the bordering Hargaon area in Saitapur due to heavy security on the main roads amid tensions in the violence-hit region of Lakhimpur.

We’re waiting in front of Lakhimpur Kheri. The police have prevented us from entering. We’ve come to meet the victims of the violence, Congress national secretary Dheeraj Gurjar told PTI by phone at 4.30 a.m.

Priyanka Gandhi’s convoy had previously been briefly stopped by Uttar Pradesh Police officials in Lucknow, where the Congress general secretary had arrived on Sunday night, just hours after violence was reported during an anti-farm laws protest here.

Bhupesh Baghel, chief minister of Chhattisgarh and a Congress observer for the state elections, has said he will also visit Lakhimpur.

In Lakhimpur, police said in the evening that the situation with law and order was under control.

Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, expressed his condolences for the loss of life and stated that the state government will investigate the incident, identify those involved, and take stringent action against those responsible.

Meanwhile, mobile internet services have been suspended in parts of the violence-stricken district, where officials have also imposed restrictions under CrPC section 144, which prohibits gatherings of four or more people.