Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya’s visit to Lakhimpur Kheri’s Tikuniya town today, on October 3, resulted in a ruckus which, as per unconfirmed news reports, has left at least three persons dead. Initial reports suggest that violence erupted after the farmers protesting against the three central farm laws clashed with the local leaders who had gathered to welcome Maurya.

It is claimed that several protesting farmers have also been injured and situation is tense.

Gaon Connection spoke with the district magistrate (DM) of Lakhimpur Kheri, Arvind Kumar Chaurasiya, who said: “The area is under control now and the law and order situation is maintained. We have deployed heavy security at the clash site. Local police and PAC have taken the area in their control.” However, the DM did not specify the total number of casualties in the clash and stated that the assessments are underway.

Meanwhile, videos being circulated on social media showed unidentified men wielding lathis (wooden canes) lynching the lifeless body of a man on a grassy patch by a road while another body lay in the grass a few feet away.

Meanwhile, in its press statement issued today, Samyukta Kisan Morcha has said that “at least three farmers killed, and around ten others injured in the incident”.

As the news of the deputy’s CM’s scheduled arrival spread among the local farmers of Lakhimpur Kheri, thousands of farmers rushed to the Maharaja Agrasen playground’s helipad where the helicopter carrying Maurya was supposed to land today. The takeover of the landing site by the farmers led the security apparatus to pursue the roadways route from state capital Lucknow.

Maurya’s motorcade finally arrived in Tikunia at around 12:00 pm and the protestors allegedly attempted to intercept it. It is reported that Dy CM Maurya was visiting Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Kumar Mishra’s village in Tikunia when the clash between the farmers and the local political leaders occurred.

Reportedly, the driver of the car carrying a minister’s son mowed down a group of farmers as he tried to swerve away from the crowd which resulted in the deaths of at least three persons and many sustained injuries, as claimed by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha.

Meanwhile, Rakesh Tikait, leader of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) released a statement informing that he will visit the district later in the day.

“… farmers were returning and they were attacked with cars, there was firing, as per the current information, some people have been killed and many injured. We are leaving for Lakhimpur Kheri and should reach there by midnight or so,” Tikait said.

The area is presently under heavy deployment by the local police and more contingents of the security forces are dispatched to the site.

Meanwhile, Samyukta Kisan Morcha has taken strong objections to the comments on Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar who, in a statement, allegedly encouraged “volunteers to pick up lathis and attack farmers”. In its press statement, the morcha said: “In a completely unacceptable and objectionable development, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar is heard in a video clip encouraging (BJP-RSS) volunteers to pick up lathis and attack farmers, even if this means ending up in jails for a few months!”

This is a developing story; more details awaited.