In its press conference today evening, Samyukta Kisan Morcha has put forth three demands in response to the violence that erupted in Lakhimpur Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh earlier in the day today when protesting farmers were killed.

Yogendra Yadav, national president of Swaraj India, who is one of the nine-member coordination committee of the morcha that addressed the press conference today, informed that at least four farmers have been killed in today’s clashes and a dozen injured.

The dead include Lavpreet Singh (20 years old), Nakshatra Singh (60), Daljeet Singh (35), and Gurvinder Singh (19), said Yadav. Those who have been injured are undergoing treatment at the hospital.

“What happened today is a barbaric incident and is a complete breakdown of law and order. There was no provocation by the farmers and no stones were thrown. Such allegations are an attempt to fabricate a narrative,” said Yadav. “Farmers must maintain peace and continue to protest in a peaceful manner,” he added.

In response to the violence today, Samyukat Kisan Morcha has put forth four demands. First, it has demanded the resignation of Ajay Kumar Mishra (Teni), the current Minister of State in the Ministry of Home affairs, Government of India. He represents the Kheri constituency of Uttar Pradesh and is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party party.

Second, a case under Section 302 should be filed; and third, a sitting judge of the Supreme Court of India should investigate the incident, said Yadav.

Samyukat Kisan Morcha has called upon all farmers’ organisations across the country to protest at District Collector’s/DM’s/DC’s offices in all districts between 12 noon and 1pm tomorrow, October 4, to press for the above three demands.

Kisan Sabha leader P Krishnaprasad of AIKS told media that Samyukat Kisan Morcha has also demanded resignation and an apology from Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar who made inflammatory comments against the farmers protesting the three central farm laws.

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.

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 informed by Yadav, has left at least four 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.

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.

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 a 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.