BJP driven cars run over farmers in Lakhimpur, at least 2 dead
Two farmers are believed killed and eight injured when they were run over by two cars, said to be driven by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers, in Lakhimpur, Uttar Pradesh, according to a tweet by Kisan IT Cell.
The farmers were protesting the meeting of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, in the village of Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni.
The cars ran over the farmers, who were sitting on the road, to stop the BJP supporters, who were on the way to the meeting organised by the BJP. According to reports, the farmers were also beaten up by local BJP leaders and their supporters.
Angered by the incident, the farmers retaliated and the two vehicles, that ran over their protesting colleagues on fire.
Police were called in and the farmers were beaten up with lathis by the police. The farmers then took shelter in nearby sugarcane fields.
Meanwhil, Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Mahendra Singh Tikait said in a video message that police opened fire on the protesting farmers in which “may are said to be dead”. He said he will leave for Lakhimpur to look at the situation and expected to reach Lakhimpur around midnight.