Indian minister’s son, guards shoot, crush to death 8 protesting farmers, Priyanka detained en route to UP

Eight farmers were killed by the son of an Indian minister and his body guards during farmers’ protests in Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh, India.

Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) issued a statement regarding the incident claiming the death of farmers adding that one of them was shot dead by Indian Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Teni’s son, while the others were run over by the vehicles of his convoy.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who was en route to the Uttar Pradesh district to express solidarity with the victim families was detained from Hargaon on Monday, said the party’s youth wing national president Srinivas BV.

Priyanka Gandhi reached the Lucknow airport yesterday evening after the killing of eight farmers in shooting and crushing by the cavalcade of the Indian minister and was stopped by the police several times on her way to Lakhimpur Kheri, UP.

Her convoy was stopped in Lucknow and the police surrounded the Kaul House where she stays during her Lucknow visits.

Srinivas, in his tweet in Hindi, said, “Finally that happened, what was expected from BJP. In the democratic country of ‘Mahatma Gandhi’, the worshipers of ‘Godse’ have arrested our leader Priyanka Gandhi who fought with heavy rains and police force to meet the ‘Annadata’, from Hargaon. This is just the beginning of the fight!! Kisan Ekta Zindabad”.

In a video that he shared along with the tweet, Srinivas has called on all supports to reach the Sitapur police line.

Following several instances of being stopped on her way to Lakhimpur, Priyanka Gandhi had lashed out at the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government and said, “I’m not committing any crime by deciding to meet victim’s kin…Why are you stopping us? You should have a warrant…?”

As many as eight people died in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident on Sunday, Uttar Pradesh police confirmed.